School paints over rainbow mural claiming it is too large
The Oakfield-Alabama Middle High School in New York claim it was a 'miscommunication'
By Steve Brown
Words: Steve Brown
A rainbow mural at a Oakfield-Alabama school was painted over and officials claim it was because of the size.
An art student at the Oakfield-Alabama Middle High School in New York paint the Pride flag on the wall of the school and was intending to add the words ‘love is love’ above the flag as well as handprints of other LGBT students, Video News Service reported.
However, they never got to finish the painting because the school decided to paint over the mural claiming it was ‘too big’.
Justice Rane Leisten, a former pupil at the school, condemned the school’s decision on Facebook and wrote: “I know I went to a rather conservative school and I heard gay hate all the time; which is partially why I didn’t come out until after but really??
“This is what’s wrong with the world. They’re literally teaching kids to hate. Painting over the flag is validation as to how they feel about gay people at that school.”
However, interim superintendent Michael Crumb said the whole issue was a result of ‘miscommunication’.
He told The Daily News: “This was miscommunication with the student. The student was new to the school.
“We do allow our eight-graders to paint a brick. This young man painted something larger than a brick.
“This is not a question about what he painted. If the young man wishes to paint a gay flag on his brick, he can do that.
“The only issue was miscommunication about the size of what he could paint. The student has been very understanding and cooperative with us.”