Georgia Elementary School Removes Student’s ‘Gay Is Ok’ Rainbow Artwork, Compare It To Nazi Flag

Administrators at an Athens, Georgia Elementary School are facing an angry community after it was learned that they removed a student’s piece of art that included the words “Gay is OK” to be removed from a collection on a classroom wall, with the vice-principal comparing it to the Nazi flag.

Raw Story: “It’s been brought to our attention that one local school’s administration at Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary did not find the art to be ‘okay.’ A local teacher has had the art hanging in her classroom since October, as part of several different student art pieces. According to the teacher, one parent eventually complained to the principal,” Athens Pride reveals on its Facebook page, which has also been reported by multiple news outlets.

“The principal reportedly asked the teacher to move the art to a less offensive place– she stood in solidarity with the student and did not remove the piece,” the Athens Pride post continues. “We have been told she was then summoned to the principal and vice principal’s office, where the display of the rainbow and verbiage were likened to ‘displaying a swastika’ by the school’s vice principal.”

Local Georgia news outlet 11Alive reports parent and University of Georgia professor Jemelleh Coes says, “Nothing has been done and that is part of the problem and that is why we are finally at a place like this. Enough is enough.”

A current teacher who wished to speak anonymously said in a statement to 11Alive: “On behalf of a majority of the staff at Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary School, we are disheartened that these words and actions have happened in our school building during this time. This does not represent why we chose this profession, and it does not represent the feelings, beliefs, values, and attributes our amazing school family has within these four walls. We are disheartened that there has been no action taken by CCSD or our building administration to rectify the divide that has been caused. We will continue to seek resolution and promote a community of love, acceptance, and tolerance within our building and community.”

Athens Pride on Facebook sums up the current situation: “The truth is, our children are watching and they are listening.”