ANDERSON TOWNSHIP, Ohio — Some Anderson Township community members are frustrated with the Forest Hills School District after a mural painted by students that celebrates diversity at Nagel Middle School was covered up.
Paul McKibben said when his kids started the school year, they noticed the district covered the mural, which had been up for years, with a "bland corporate banner."
The banner was ripped down to reveal the mural, which depicts people from different races, religions and sexual orientations coexisting. It is currently not known who ripped down the banner.
McKibben said earlier this week, one of his kids sent him a picture of where the mural used to be. This time, instead of a temporary banner, someone painted over it, completely covering it with a coat of blue paint.
When WCPO 9 reached out Friday morning to Forest Hills about the mural being painted over, a district spokesperson forwarded along an email sent on August 16 from Superintendent Larry Hook that addressed questions about replacing the mural.
Hook said the decision was part of the district's "rebranding efforts" throughout the school.
The district called the rebranding an "effort to unify the Forest Hills School District with common messaging and language through our Culture Blueprint."
While Hook said its rebranding, some parents are frustrated with the district.
Antonio Ciolino, a Forest Hills parent, said this mural wasn't just decoration but a declaration about the district's students and their ability to look at people for more than just a single group.
"By destroying this mural they're being told they don't belong," Ciolino said.
Emily Roth agrees.
"It's as if the district took it, crumpled it up in a ball and threw it away," Roth said.
Hook said the focus of the new message is on high performance and leadership.
"At Nagel specifically, we redecorated three of the main stairwells to reflect this new initiative," Hook wrote. "Our goal is to place these signs and graphics in high traffic areas like stairwells, lobbies and cafeterias all across FHSD.
Take a look at this 👀
— Valerie Lyons (@VLyonsTV) September 1, 2023
A student-painted diversity mural at Nagel Middle School was covered with a banner before the start of the year.
This week students tore the banner down.
The next day the mural was painted over.
Parent reaction and the district’s message explaining… pic.twitter.com/2JR1Gq3Ny9
Hook added that the district hopes the rebranding will connect the community, staff and students with its core values along with providing positive behaviors the district wants to promote.
Hook said the Culture Blueprint was created by staff members from across the district last spring. It has a strong emphasis on connections, ownership and growth. The document highlights themes like "respecting each voice," "serving and supporting others" and "being honest and authentic." Click here to read the full FHSD Culture Blueprint.
"Although signage or a bluprint document will not automatically improve behavior or culture, we know these visual reminders are an important way to unify our nine schools and the entire district behind the same core message, " Hook said. "You will notice them prominently displayed throughout FHSD as a subtle way to keep these important concepts at the forefront of everything we do."
You can read the full email below.
Forest Hills letter about mural replacement by WCPO Web on Scribd
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