Changes to 'Hall Of Heroes' mural angers parents

[Mitch Henessey]

Some parents are expressing their frustration after a Michigan elementary and middle school reportedly removed images of well-known and revered historical figures and replaced them with paintings of author J.K. Rowling, Oprah, Maya Angelou, Walt Disney and President Barack Obama.

Among the individuals who were previously on the wall at South Arbor Charter Academy in Ypsilanti, Michigan? Flag maker Betsy Ross, scientist Albert Einstein, astronauts, Gandhi and Mother Teresa, among other national and international figures.

But now some parents are speaking out against the changes, claiming that the historical figures known for monumental accomplishments have now been replaced by mere “celebrities.”

“This is no longer a hall of heroes,” parent Craig Bergman told conservative commentator Todd Starnes. “Now we have a hall of celebrities.”

Berman’s fear is that the definition of a hero will be profoundly changed in the eyes of the children who attend the school. Talent, alone, he said doesn’t automatically make someone heroic. Another parent, Todd Holliday, agrees.

“My biggest concern is my kid seeing these murals for the next four years – thinking they represent what a hero is,” he said. “They might be successful business people but they aren’t really heroes.”

South Arbor Charter Academy spokeswoman Jennifer Hoff told Starnes that the paintings were changed out in an effort to highlight “modern-day heroes.”

“Heroes Hall has been a part of the school’s fabric for years. In fact, the old mural had been on the wall for at least 11 years,” Hoff said. “As with all things over time, it was showing its age from the activities of being an active school and needed some repair.”

But Berman said that the old mural was well-balanced, with the new array of photos not necessarily accomplishing the same goal.

“Previously, it was very well-balanced and respected a lot of different thoughts. Instead, it’s become more of a political issue,” he told Starnes. “There’s definitely a certain genre of pictures here.”

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/201...-images-of-obama-oprah-and-other-celebrities/

The word "hero" sparks a lot of problems with this story. If the mural at South Arbor Charter Academy was just a regular mural with no title attached to it, you have to believe you wouldn't read any stories about frustrated parents.

I'm going in the direction of agreeing with Jennifer Hoff's statement about highlighting modern-day heroes, and I don't see a big problem with the changes to the mural.

I don't see a problem with looking up to or idolizing the new additions. Going by the reactions from the parents, I get the feeling they're trying to twist the world celebrity.

When I think about the new faces added to the wall, I don't think about a group of people, who are narcissistic, self-adsorbed, or flashy. They're positive and successful public figures, who are worthy of being role models.

Honestly, I don't believe South Arbor Charter Academy is setting a bad example or possibly scarring the children for life with the new mural. There's a better chance to connect with a fresh start and a more modernized approach, and three of the new names listed are still alive and well.

Do you see any problems with the changes to the "Hall Of Heroes" mural?

All thoughts and discussion regarding this article are welcome.

 

[Mustang Sally]

Do you see any problems with the changes to the "Hall Of Heroes" mural?

Only that there seem to be a group of people concerned with it in the first place. With all the problems involved in everyday living, those good folks in Michigan surely have more pressing matters to worry about, no?

I suppose they're "outraged." It used to be issues would arise that make us upset, angry, confused, etc. Today, we're outraged over matters that surely won't make any practical difference in our lives. It's a world of overstatement.

The folks whose images were previously depicted were admirable people. So are the new ones. One can always argue that one or two of the figures could be replaced with someone else, but it seems to me the wall wasn't established with the idea of creating controversy.....but rather, to symbolize what is good instead of dwelling on the negative.

And if your child's life is going to be negatively effected because Maya Angelou's image has replaced Betsy Ross' on the wall, he/she is likely to be bogged down by other unimportant matters in the future.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

To me, this is one of those stories that generates controversy and I don't really understand why it should. It seems that every time you turn around to scratch your ass, there's some news story breaking about somebody doing something that pisses someone off that gets national headlines. Maybe it's always been this way and we're only just really able to hear about such stories through the advancement of social media, maybe social media is responsible in & of itself as it allows anybody who feels like shooting off his or her mouth about everything & anything and putting it where all can see within the blink of an eye, maybe it's a bit of both.

Here's the thing: time's change and as a result, the various "heroes" that children know of & identify with change as well. Now, nobody can deny the impact of people like Albert Einstein, Gandhi, Mother Teresa and others and from what I understand, nobody's trying to. These are people who're revered, rightly so, and will remain so unless civilization as we know it comes to an end. However, it's important to remember that these people are icons of generations past and as a result, a lot of children in this day & age might not identify with them as much as well known men & women that they're more familiar with.

For instance, Oprah Winfrey & Maya Angelou did break down barriers in the United States for African American women. Oprah's more than just a woman who hosts a talk show, she's become a brand all to herself, and has been one of the most influential & powerful figures in the entertainment industry for decades. Maya Angelou is practically a saint as far as her contributions to literacy & education are concerned. She was a major figure involved in the Civil Rights Movement, has received honorary degrees from over 20 different colleges & universities, numerous literary awards, several Grammy awards for the Best Spoken Word Album, she was awarded the National Medal of Arts in 2000 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011. J.K. Rowling is credited with helping turn a generation of kids onto reading through the Harry Potter books. She's also received several honorary degrees from prestigious Universities, including Harvard, various awards in literature including the National Book Awards. Barack Obama isn't just some "celebrity." Whether you support him or not, he's the first African American President of the United States and that's a big deal. It's historic, particularly considering the influence racial tensions have had in the history of the United States. Now, only history and the passage of time will ultimately cement their level of greatness.

If the mural was changed to include actual celebrities like Beyoncé, Channing Tatum, Taylor Swift, Charlie Sheen, etc. and call them "heroes" in the sense that I think the Hall Of Heroes was designed for, then I could probably understand the outrage a bit more. Besides, these are murals painted in elementary & middle schools in Michigan; it's not like somebody's made changes to Mount Rushmore.

 

[Daggdag]

I understand Angelou, Obama and even Oprah, for her charity work, but why Disney and Rowling. She wrote a shitty book series about some dork with a wand, and he was a jew hating theif who got rich taking credit for other peoples' work.