The president of a Texas school has promised justice after two students who painted pro-Trump parking spots were asked to repaint them, sparking controversy.
The graduating class of Keller High School, a public high school located in the city of Keller, has a tradition, referring to a ‘rite of passage,‘when seniors can purchase their own parking spot for the school year for $200 and personalize it.
A senior at the school painted a striking mural of Trump wearing sunglasses and a bandana in the colors of the American flag: red, white and blue.
The other showed the numbers 45 and 47, referencing Trump’s 45th presidency and his possible 47th presidency. WFAA-TV reported.
But in a shocking move, a media outlet reported Tuesday that the brightly colored murals had disappeared and been repainted in a gloomy shade of gray.
A senior at the school painted a striking mural of Trump wearing sunglasses and a bandana in the colors of the American flag: red, white and blue, but on Tuesday the mural was painted over in a dreary shade of gray.
Dr. Charles Randklev, a member of the Keller Independent School District Board of Trustees, Place 6, wrote, in part, that “there is nothing offensive or controversial about depicting or respectfully honoring a current or former president of the United States of America.”
The school district alleged that the Trump-themed parking spots “had the potential to cause unnecessary distractions to the learning environment.”
Dr. Charles Randklev, a board member and president of the Keller Independent School District, responded Wednesday with a Facebook post saying “action” would be taken.
Students are given guidelines on painted parking spaces they can create which are listed on the Keller High School website.
As stated, “use only appropriate words, symbols and images,” the guidelines document reads. “Spaces with inappropriate content will be painted over, confiscated and resold,” according to the press report.
“KHS has the right to deface, confiscate and resell spaces that include content that management determines to be inappropriate, including but not limited to controversial, offensive or obscene material,” the statement said.
Although political messages were not mentioned in the initial guidelines, the district clarified to WFAA that they were not allowed. It also stated that the guidelines cover all scenarios.
“We can confirm that there were some spots that had to be repainted because they included content that had the potential to cause unnecessary distractions in the learning environment,” the school said.
‘Every year, some students try to include a political message, controversial statement, or inappropriate words or images in the paint on their parking spot. When that happens, campus administrators allow them to repaint their space.’
On Wednesday, the school’s guidelines page was no longer available and said ‘error not found.’
The second pro-Trump mural painted by an elderly person sparked controversy
The graduating class at Keller High School, a public high school located in the city of Keller, has a tradition, known as a ‘rite of passage,’ when seniors can purchase their own parking spot for the school year for $200 and personalize it.
Students have been busy painting their murals ahead of the first day of school starting August 8.
One parent, who asked not to be identified but whose parking spot was one of the spaces painted, told WFAA that the mural created was “not obscene or inappropriate.”
Randklev’s statement was published in full one day after the fiasco in Facebook.
You may have heard about a controversy in the Keller High School parking lot, where students were required to paint over the parking spots in the attached photo.
‘I want to be clear: there is nothing offensive or controversial about depicting or respectfully honoring a current or former president of the United States of America.
“We will take action and make it clear that students can honor President Trump as the 45th and soon 47th President of the United States, however they wish,” he wrote.
His post received mixed reviews.
Keller City Councilman Greg Will thanked Randklev for the post.
He wrote, in part: “I am confident that under your leadership the school board will take appropriate steps to ensure that those responsible for violating the First Amendment rights of these students are held appropriately accountable.”
One parent asked: ‘Didn’t they campaign to keep politics out of schools?
Another said: “I think the Keller Middle School administration was trying to provide a safe environment for all students. That’s their job.
“For the President of the Board to openly ridicule his decision is disappointing and disrespectful.”
