Manual HS students’ music video about Gov. Bevin, pensions goes viral

LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE)- Three JCPS teens used their sick out days to support their teachers in a musical way. They made a music video that’s gone viral around Kentucky.

Three Manual High School students have a message for Governor Matt Bevin. Colin Weaver and Justin Hardy go by ‘Tall Timbers’ and ‘J-HARD’ in their music video. Noah Keckler did the filming and editing.

They were inspired by their teachers’ fight for pension rights.

"We went to Frankfort with the teachers, and being there and seeing that environment, we thought of something creative we could do on our time off,” Weaver said.

On Wednesday, the Manual High School students made their Sickout! music video. It dropped on YouTube Thursday.

"Just about ten minutes after that, it blew up,” Keckler said.

At last count, it was at more than 23,000 views on YouTube.

“I definitely don’t know about Bevin’s childhood,” Weaver said. “I was trying to connect all the pension stuff happening with teachers in school to a reason all the pension stuff is happening. I respect him as a person, nothing we said was meant to be threatening. But he’s a little outspoken to teachers and people that work and we thought we’d call him out on it.”

"[We want to] represent that students have a voice too,” Hardy said.

The song has become sort of an anthem for teachers at Manual.

“[We’re] reflecting on elementary and middle school, high school,” Hardy said. “[Teachers] are the ones that got me into a great school they’re the ones that prepared me for college.”

It’s also become the boys’ claim to hometown fame.

"I was at work and someone came up to me and asked for a selfie,” Weaver said.

"I’ve been out and about and heard people sing the lyrics without knowing I was there,” Keckler said.

Don’t count them as Kentucky one-hit wonders just yet .

"If something else pops up you might here from us again,” said Weaver.

The boys said they have not heard from Bevin or his office yet, but they are looking forward to hearing what he thinks about their music video.

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