HS Student’s Anti-Bush Artwork Censored
Katie Jamruk was surprised when her principal told her she would have to remove her artwork from a senior show at Highland (IL) High School because it offended their “religious beliefs.” The painting didn’t have anything to do with religion, but pointed out some of the controversial elements of the Bush administration, including the Iraq War and gay marriage.
“I thought it was a painting that was very appropriate, as any artist’s work is, in an art show,” [HHS Principal Carmitchel said. “But when you have display cases in the school and students are forced to look at something that offends them. … It’s a blatant political statement that bothers people, and you have to respect that whether you agree with it or not.”
They told her to take it down, but she put a box over it instead with a hole that says “Look at your own risk.”
I love that last part.
brilliant.
good find Jason!
Jason, where is the link?
Dude if this story is accurate then it is a travesty. A recent SCOTUS ruling allows principals to censor speech that may “impede the educational process,” but this is a purely political statement that would only “offend” someone’s political POV. And that’s what the First Amendment is mainly about — protecting political speech!!
The principal is an idiot.
Yeah, where’s the link? At least a larger picture so we can see the details, like the question mark pointing to where the heart goes. I can appreciate political satire from either side, and I bet there’s more funny stuff in there.
Idk if you can see or not, but the arrow pointing to the crotch has a picture of Dick Cheney on it.
You lose a lot of rights when you walk into a public school building, so free speach isn’t protected.
And you say “I love that last part” does this mean you condone blantly disrespecting superiors?
Which superiors? Bush & Cheney? What have they done to earn our respect.
The princpals? I think the box with the hole cut in it deftly addresses the pricipals concerns and keeps the point of the artwork intact.
BTW – Thanks for commenting Ryan. Is the artwork still being displayed?