Westfield High School Art Exhibit Stirs Controversy, School Backs Free Expression

(Photo courtesy of Jackie Lieberman, TAPintoWestfield.net)

An art exhibit from several students at Westfield High School created a firestorm of controversy after depicting police brutality.

The exhibit was on display at a school district-wide art show at the Westfield High School gymnasium, from May 12 to May 14. The exhibit was titled “Law Enforcement - Police Brutality” and contained images of guns being pointed at unarmed and fleeing figures, and an image of a man stabbed in the back by a police badge, according to a report from TAPinto.net.

The story gained more attention after media outlets, including Fox News Channel and Fox News’ Eric Bolling, who spoke about the exhibit on his Twitter account, and Mediaite.com, picked up the story.

The school district stood behind the teacher and the exhibit, but demonstrated appreciation for law enforcement officers, as well. In a statement issued on May 15, Dr. Margaret Dolan, Superintendent of Westfield Public Schools, said both she and the school district support law enforcement.

“I have worked closely with law enforcement for over 20 years and have the utmost respect for the men and women who put themselves on the line each day to keep our communities safe” Dolan said in the statement. “Our schools support and respect our police department and law enforcement officers. Our schools and police department work cooperatively daily and will continue to do so.”

Dolan continued to say that the art project in question included drawings and captions depicting different viewpoints on a current controversial issue.

“The teacher was attempting to encourage the students to look at more than one side of an issue,” Dolan said in the statement.

The art exhibit has drawn significant criticism from the community and from police officers, many of which have flocked to the review section of a Facebook page about Westfield High School to comment on the exhibit.

The story of the art exhibit also made waves among Patch readers, generating nearly 400 comments. Here is a sample of some comments left by Patch readers:

Moeskido

Good statement from the superintendent, as a response to the Soviet-era commenters who don’t want to see criticism of authority in any form. This is a moment to talk about issues in a civilized way, not to forbid discussion with knee-jerk anger and jingoism.

JadeE124

Are students not allowed freedom of speech like the rest of us? I don’t see what they have done wrong here. If they feel there is an issue with the tactics of police, then they have every right to express those opinions. More people should be speaking up about things they have issues with. Nothing will change with silence.

RecalcitrantOne

More outrage about the art than the acts it depicts.

sale

Art can push the boundary of our personal perspective to places we don’t necessarily want to go. Just because its message or meaning might make us uncomfortable, it is unconscionable to even consider suppressing it in any way. In my opinion, we need more young people questioning those in authority in this country, not less, if we want to continue to evolve as a society. I don’t expect police would be positively motivated by this display but it seems a better alternative than young people rioting or looting doesn’t it?

Dickson Butts

Whether you agree with the students’ message about the police or not (I don’t), they have the right to express their ideas. If you disagree, you shouldn’t try to censor it. Refute the message with reasoned argument. This isn’t a tax-funded school “supporting” a message about police brutality, it’s a tax-funded school supporting the first amendment. Props to the superintendent who encouraged her students to try to look at both sides of the situation before coming up with an opinion.

What do you think of the art exhibit and subsequent controversy? Let us know in the comments below.