The society does not encourage youths to stay home..far from it they want them to go and give a witness.
I remember all through elementary school I would go and mom would have written me a note to excuse me from the ceremony..then in the higher grades I would have to ask my teacher to be excused myself and I would always get the shakes and not know what to say. They would always say the same thing...you don't have to agree with it can't you just go to be respectful..I never felt like I had a great answer to that..I was always coached to say that if everyone believed like us the wars would never have happened.
In middle school I would team up with my best friend and we would ask the teacher together in a one two punch fashion. But in high school it was harder. I remember in grade 9 I was so nervous that my mom thought I wouldnt ask so she phoned the school and asked to talk to the teacher I had during that period and explain to him. That was really embarrassing but at least I didnt have to talk to him myself. I had a lot of respect for that teacher and I didnt want him to not like me.
The year after that I refused to go that morning since the ceremony was always before 11. By the afternoon I wasnt as conspicuous because a lot of people had started taking their poppies off by then.
In my final year I hated my teacher and there was no way I wanted to ask him. He was walking us to the assembly..he ducked for a minute and I sprinted down the other hallway. I ran out of the building and didnt come back on campus until after the lunch break..he saw me coming back and motioned for me to come here because I was in trouble. I ran and I went home and I never did go to talk to him about it. I was really embarrassed of standing out for such a stupid reason and there was no way I wanted to be indentified with some quack religious belief that no one understands. Of course there were 'spies' in the school from the local congregation -- both youths and staff. I could never have been seen going or I would have been in a lot of trouble.
This year I pitched a couple of dollars into the Canadian Legion's coffers and wore my brand new poppy for the entire week leading up to remembrance day, standing out beautifully against the lapel of my long black coat.
