Saturday, April 07, 2012

Student Censored for Traditional Marriage Artwork

When a student at Pilgrim High School in Warwick Rhode Island created a mural that depicted a married man and woman with a child, the school painted over the image in reaction to someone complaining that the artwork violated the so-called "separation of church and state." The school superintendent says he disagrees and says the student's artwork should be completed as intended.



-- From "Warwick superintendent says student artist should finish her vision" by Barbara Polichetti, Providence Journal 4/5/12

There had been some talk at the school that the unfinished mural -- which was to show a boy growing to manhood and eventually becoming a husband and father -- should consider other life choices.

The mural is still in draft form as pencil sketches, [Superintendent Peter Horoschak] said. A portion was painted over by a custodian this week when the artist was talking to administrators about alternative endings.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "School covers mural for depicting a man, woman & child" by Dee DeQuattro, WPRO News 4/5/12

The mural was meant to depict the life of a man and it ended with the scene with the man, woman and a child. The student artist, 17-year-old Liz Bierendy, said that she depicted the man and woman has married with wedding rings. According to Horoshack’s press release the scene was painted over because “some of the members of the Pilgrim High School community suggested that the depiction of a young man’s development from boyhood through adulthood as displayed may not represent the life experiences of many of the students at Pilgrim High School.”

According to the release, the assistant principal approached Bierendy after the concern was raised from the school and “asked her to look at other ways to show the outcome of the subject’s progression to adulthood.”

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Also read about another Rhode Island school mural removed by court order.