Skyline College opened in the fall of 1969, against a backdrop of mass student protests against the Vietnam War. In the first four academic years, there were five protests at Skyline including moratoriums on classes, rallies, and student strikes. Despite the lack of rallies and protests, this tradition lives on at Skyline.
     In May 1970, 600 students attended a rally at Skyline. They protested the war in Vietnam and the killing of protesters at Kent State and U.C. Santa Barbara by National Guard troops. Twenty students pledged to strike and stopped attending classes. According to The Skyline Press archives, students and the faculty supported them. Earlier, student protesters who clashed with police in massive marches and pickets shut down San Francisco State University. The Skyline Press regularly publicized and covered anti-war demonstrations and published anti-war student editorials.
     Compared to 1969, Skyline College today has more students, the age of the average student has gone up, and part-time teachers comprise a good part of the faculty. According to Don Biederman, counselor and former professor of geology, our hectic lives and diverse student population make it more difficult to have activism on this campus today.
     The most visible sign of anti-war feeling today is the huge red banner in the stairwell of building 2. The face of student dissent at Skyline College has changed, but this banner shows the students still care. Complementing the simple message “No More War” are comments from the students: “Be Peace,” “They got $$ for War but none to feed the poor,” “Fear the U.S. empire,” and “vote to impeach,” among others. Students for Justice in Palestine posted the banner with the permission of the Associated Students and it was filled with comments like these within weeks.
     Saji Abuomar, of the Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), said that attendance has occasionally been a problem but the campus welcomes activity. Last year the S.J.P. raised funds for a children’s relief program in Palestine. He said he saw the Palestinian solidarity pins passed out from that fundraiser all over the campus the rest of the year.
     Compared to 1969, Skyline College today has more students, the age of the average student has gone up, and part-time teachers comprise a good part of the faculty. According to Don Biederman, counselor and former professor of geology, our hectic lives and diverse student population make it more difficult to have activism on this campus today. Skyline College Associated Students recently coordinated a trip to Sacramento to protest slashing funding for community colleges and fee hikes. As reported in the March 25 issue of The Skyline View, nearly 300 people attended the protest.
     Abuomar was there with a Palestinian flag. He says that as a Palestinian activist, he fights injustice everywhere and that ending the fighting between Israel and Palestine would have direct benefits to the U.S. because we could save billions of dollars we send to Israel and other countries.
     Biederman attributes public activism of the students in Skyline College’s early years to the close relationships between the students and the young faculty at the new college. He says that students weren’t afraid to speak openly without fear of recrimination because the faculty shared their viewpoint. To him it seems that it was more natural then to make your viewpoint known, that today questioning leadership is frowned upon.
     “People seem to feel that their opinion doesn’t matter.” Biederman said.
     The Students for Justice in Palestine club was restarted after the current wave of fighting broke out in 2000 and according to Abuomar, the club focuses on educating and informing students about the Palestinian cause. Meetings are held weekly and the club plans to show two documentaries on the subject in the next two weeks, “Palestine is Still the Issue” and “The Gaza Strip,” which focuses on the lives of Gaza Strip children.
     Passion for a cause is what makes many, like Abuomar, become active. Although the “No More War” banner is peppered with comments that disagree with the banner’s message, such as “support our troops” and “Saddam thanks you for your support,” most of the comments are not dissenting.
     Dr. Edmund Wodehouse,a Skyline biology since the early seventies, said that Skyline students are active.
     “I think that student activism has always been alive and well at Skyline, but oftentimes is not as visible as at larger colleges and universities.” Wodehouse said.
     Professor Jim Promessi, art faculty since 1969, predicts that the current war will be over too quickly for the building of any student movement like those of the past. In contrast, Biederman thinks that if the current war continues or the issue is important, there could be a reawakening of student activism.
     “Student’s opinions about war have got to matter,” Biederman said. “They have the greatest effect on their lives.”