DISPATCHES FROM THE EDUCATION APOCALYPSE: Mural of George Washington that ‘traumatizes students’ of George Washington High School in San Francisco to be covered up.
And that cover-up won’t be cheap, no matter what method is chosen:
A high school in San Francisco is considering three options for censoring a mural of George Washington deemed problematic by the local activist community: putting up a curtain (price tag: $300,000), painting over it ($600,000), or hiding it behind panels ($875,000).
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According to National Review‘s James Sutton, most of the students want to keep the mural, or don’t really care one way or another. The controversy is the work of “outside busybodies.” Naturally, it looks like they are going to get their way. The school board is currently deciding between three different plans, all of which involve destroying the mural, or covering it up. A final decision is expected next week, reports The College Fix.
By the way, if you’re wondering why it would cost several hundred thousand dollars to get rid of the mural, here’s your answer: Officials are required to conduct environmental impact reports before they take any action.
It’s important that the memory hole be as carbon-neutral as possible.
Flashback: “Here’s the irony, though. The murals were painted in 1936 by artist Victor Arnautoff, who was a protégé of Diego Rivera and a communist.’ He included those images not to glorify Washington, but rather to provoke a nuanced evaluation of his legacy. The scene with the dead Native American, for instance, calls attention to the price of ‘manifest destiny.’ Arnautoff’s murals also portray the slaves with humanity and the several live Indians as vigorous and manly,’ The Wall Street Journal reported in late April.
As I wrote in May at that last link, Stalin smiles (and so does Mao).
