Earlier today, Smyrna H.S. students held a peaceful protest regarding the removal of a staff supervised painting of political activist Angela Davis (painted by several students) after another community group objected to the painting.
Smyrna School District Superintendent Patrik Williams said the school dismissed all students at 12:30 p.m. Thursday after the protest and the school will be closed Friday for spring break.
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Smyrna School District issued a statement: Today, Thursday, April 14, 2022, at Smyrna High School a peaceful student-led protest occurred over a painting that several students under the supervision of staff carefully created to celebrate the power of positive social change. However, the Smyrna School District learned late last night that the subject of this painting has also been connected to a variety of additional causes, including advocacy for the State of Palestine. The Smyrna School District further learned late last night that for this reason, another community group has objected to the display of this painting. In short, a student group supervised by staff at Smyrna High School created this painting strictly to celebrate diversity, inclusion, and belonging but has subsequently learned that doing so has unwittingly and unintentionally muted and marginalized another valued group in our community. Until the District is able to bring both advocacy groups together in an effort to communicate, educate and honor one another in a way that is mutually agreeable and fosters true inclusion, the District Administration has approved the removal of the painting which will remain out of view. In the interim, Smyrna High School is dismissing all students at 12:30 p.m.
today.
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Angela Davis is a prominent writer, feminist, political activist, and educator. She is most well known for her involvement in the civil rights and Black liberation movements, as well as for being a leading advocate for prison abolition.
