Opinion: The decency of Paul Reubens helped Sarasota High heal deep wounds

No wonder Paul Reubens was a man who loved being a child. Children do not hate.

Reubens, of course, left an indelible mark on popular culture by playing the character of Pee-wee Herman, an impish, chaotic version of Peter Pan so original that even Disney on drugs could not have invented him.

He wore tight, gray suits, white shoes, and a red bow tie, and his goofy staccato giggle became as familiar as Porky Pig's stutter. From the kids he never talked down to, to the stoners who watched him on Saturday morning TV, to the adults who remembered when they, too, used to say, "I know you are, but what am I," Pee-wee was a persona for everyone. He may have been 8, or he may have been 38, but who cared when the world he created was this much fun?

Tributes poured in from around the country on Monday when the news broke that Reubens died at 70. He had privately battled cancer for six years. Celebrities from Cher to Conan O'Brien offered condolences on social media. Many admired his genius, all commented on how nice he was. Reubens was even trending on Twitter or X or whatever it's called: #Legend.

But there is another part of Reuben's life that needs to be remembered – and no, it's not that one either.

Reubens was a proud graduate of Sarasota High School, Class of 1970. He attended the school at a time when desegregation was only three years old. Up until 1967, Black kids in Sarasota went to Booker High. When Reubens attended high school, the deep feelings of resentment and hatred were raw and real.

Those feelings never subsided either. As the years passed, Sarasota High held class reunions, but those reunions were largely segregated. Sadly, Black alumni felt they didn't feel welcome at the reunion events and didn't go. Can you imagine?

As the 40^th reunion approached in 2010, Reubens stepped in as the man he really was. He made the suggestion to organizers that Black alumni be more involved, and that an apology be made, which is exactly what class president Mike Hartenstine did. He went on the reunion website and apologized.

Reubens' suggestion also led to the formation of a group called the "Booker Experience," which focused on bringing all alumni together and attempting to heal old wounds.

This was documented in a 2010 Herald-Tribune story written by former reporter Chris O’Donnell, now at the Tampa Bay Times.

"I'm sure there were malicious people and people whose hearts were filled with hate," Reubens told O’Donnell. "But for the most part, we were just 15-year-olds dealing with years of conditioning and we had no help from anyone. It was an experiment that ended poorly for us."

Reubens called O’Donnell from his home in California after the story ran and thanked him for striking just the right tone.

Sarasota icon dies from cancer Paul Reubens, Sarasota High grad who became an icon as Pee-wee Herman, dies at 70

In 2019, Reubens – voted "most talented" by his senior classmates – was inducted into the Sarasota High Hall of Fame. How the city of Sarasota has never honored him in any meaningful way is beyond a travesty.

Anyway, the Sarasota High honor was based on his wildly successful acting career, but his thoughtfulness at his 40^th class reunion alone should have been enough.

He was unable to attend the SHS Hall of Fame ceremony but sent a video message instead.

"I can't thank my teachers and classmates enough," he said. "This almost makes me want to go back to high school.

"But I use the word almost … and I mean that."

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Why Paul Reubens was so much more than his Pee-wee Herman persona