A controversial, school-authorized student art display at the Mat-Su Central was taken down last week, after concerns were raised that it explicitly blames “older white men” and traditional values for the spread of hate in America, while depicting the Statue of Liberty as a “fraud.”
The display, which was approved by school administrators for public viewing, included seven works of multi-media art created by students in the school’s advanced placement studio art program.
Mat-Su Central, which is now the largest school in the district, is a popular correspondence program favored by many conservative-leaning homeschool families. In addition to supporting parents in the home education of their children, the school offers classes, such as art, music and other subjects, which students can choose take on campus during the school day.
Earlier this month, parents with children enrolled in the Mat-Su Central contacted the Alaska Watchman with concerns about the images and messages portrayed in the student art showcase.
According to the Principal Jason Moore, the project asked students to “interpret a shared image, the Statue of Liberty, and explore how they could render and express that image through their own artistic style and perspective.”
While students were not told what perspectives to render, none of the seven art pieces included any positive qualities about America. Instead, they uniformly critiqued the whole notion of liberty in America, claiming the nation is mired in ongoing racism, hatred and hypocrisy.
One piece portrayed the Statue of Liberty as an old white man and included a paragraph to explain the student’s intentions behind the art.
“Traditionalist ideals have become invasive, spreading hate and distrust between multiple parties, which are primarily led by older white men,” the student artist wrote. “I wanted to portray the stubbornness of change, and how administration being run by older people causes societal change to backtrack, because the youth always have such different opinions that more accurately apply to the present way of life.”
Another piece depicts a tear-stained Statue of Liberty, along with an interpretive note explaining that the artist sought to highlight liberty crying out amid the lies of America.
“How could people so full of hatred be free? NO ONE could promise liberty,” the student explained. “So, she remains a fraud not by her own will, but by the HUMAN’S who all chose sin over God. We have only ourselves to BLAME.”
Another artwork questions whether America is really the “land of the free,” while raising concern that the country is run by pedophiles and fascists, and suggesting that President Trump has made himself “the KING.”
“Land of the Free? But are we really free?” one student wrote next to an artwork. “Are my non Caucasian friends safe out in the street?”
Other works show an ominous Statue of Liberty sitting upon a massive throne, looking out through a fiery eye and wearing a crown covered in what appears to be thorns or barbed wire.
One claims America is a “broken” and “privileged” nation where “words of hate are most commonly spoken,” while another shows bloody hand marks plastered over the American flag.
According to a Dec. 18 email from Moore, the intent of the art project was to “challenge students creatively while engaging them in thoughtful interpretation, presentation, and discussion, which are core components of the AP Studio Art curriculum.”
Moore explained that students worked on the art project both in and outside of class time and then presented and discussed the creations as “part of the learning process.” The instructor then selected pieces to showcase “student effort, creativity, and growth,” he said.
“Mat-Su Central is a K-12 school, and student artwork displayed in common areas follows established classroom guidelines,” Moore added. “Artwork is reviewed prior to display and does not include nudity, violence, profanity, or hate-based imagery. Within those parameters, students are encouraged to think critically, express ideas respectfully, and engage with multiple perspectives as part of their education.”
One of the artworks, however, indiscriminately blames traditional ideas and “older white men” for spreading hate.
When asked about the art display, School Board Member Tom Bergey said he was aware of the controversy and had informed District Superintendent Randy Trani.
It does not appear, however, that the school district has any policies or regulations that specifically govern student expression when it comes to art. Board policies do stipulate that each school principal has the “responsibility of maintaining order and decorum in his or her school,” while noting that students have limitations when it comes to freedom of expression during school hours.
For example, the district’s student handbook acknowledges that students are entitled to “express verbally their personal opinions in a manner that does not interfere with the educational process, that does not interfere with the freedom of others to express themselves, and that does not interfere with the ability of others to enjoy their rights, including rights of privacy and of preservation of reputation.”
The handbook adds that students are prohibited from engaging in “symbolic expression” that is deemed to be “obscene, vulgar, defamatory, promotes or advertises alcohol or drugs, or substantially interferes with the educational process or with the rights of others.” Likewise, students may not engage in expressions that are “libelous or which advocates racial, religious or other prejudice.”
