Mural controversy

 (Article appearing in the Salisbury Daily Times, Oct. 12, 2021)

Amid pushback, Pocomoke High School stands behind diversity mural

Maddie Aiken

Salisbury Daily Times

Pocomoke High School is standing behind a mural amid pushback from local community members.

The mural depicts eight different fists raised together and the inscription, "Your voice matters. #Speak up."

Four fists represent four different skin tones. The remaining four fists symbolize women, the LGBTQ community, disabilities and various religions.

Though the mural was painted in summer 2020, it just recently stirred controversy in the community. Several community members voiced their concerns with the mural during public comment at the September Worcester County Board of Education meeting.

Pocomoke High School Principal Jenifer Rayne said she first heard people were upset about the mural several days before the board meeting. She said no students, parents or community members have reached out to her about the mural.

Those who oppose the mural say it supports Marxist ideologies. An article from WatchGuards.org, a national organization that says it aims to protect civil liberties, says the mural promotes radical thinking and violates the district's anti-bullying policy.

Rayne denied these claims. She said the mural is "something to be celebrated."

"There's nothing political about making sure that your fellow humans feel like they have a voice, they are respected, they are cared about and they are an integral part of the community," she said.

Every summer, students in the high school's Horizons Summer Academy work with an artist to create some form of art for the school. 

During summer 2020, Rayne said the student group Speak Up conceptualized this mural after the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, who were both Black people killed by police in 2020. mural depicts eight different fists raised together and the inscription, "Your voice matters. #SpeakUp."