Test painting has already begun at the school. However, the public had somewhat less notice than usual of the Edison painting project, which was added to the revised agenda days before the meeting. “Generally speaking, opportunities for input and engagement are always available through our Board meetings where projects of this magnitude are approved,” she said. They’ve seen time and time again that decisions are made, and nobody asks the people who actually work here and the students who go here what they want and what they need,” Lawless said.ĭistrict spokeswoman Nikki Henry said in an email that although the district has provided the opportunity for public comment on projects in the past, it’s not “standard practice.” “They’re actually against painting over the murals and painting the school without any sort of community input. Lauren Lawless, the adviser for Edison’s GSA Club, said her students told her they want to have a voice in selecting a color scheme and in deciding what happens to the murals. When Edison was preparing for the new gym addition, there were a series of meetings to consider a number of issues, including color schemes, “which is fantastic, because this is what you’re supposed to do,” she said. “The reality is there’s been absolutely no discussion in a community-based manner,” said teacher Jacquelyn Fargano. Instead of seeking widespread community or professional input, the decisions apparently are being guided by Trustee Keshia Thomas and a handful of community members who have decided that the school needs to be white, with gold and black accents that reflect the school colors, she said. School librarian Stefani Williams, who posted the online petition, and other school staffers told GV Wire that they are concerned about how the district is going about deciding the new color scheme for the school, and who is making the decisions.
Nelson and others reassured the trustees that no action on the Edison murals would be taken without first consulting with the artist and the students who painted the murals. Related Story: Why This High School’s Paint Job Is Controversialīoard members were reminded of the firestorm of controversy that erupted after McLane High administrators decided to paint over student murals on the school’s cafeteria without discussions or permission from the student artists. At the June 21 board meeting, school officials promised that no action would be taken on the murals without consulting with the artist, Jason Esquivel, and the students who painted the murals in 2020.
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