Updated: A student perk turned into an intense debate about bigotry, the meaning of a symbol, and freedom of speech Monday at a meeting of the Half Hollow Hills Board of Education .
The protest grows out of a district practice of offering designated parking spots for student leaders, who then decorate them in a variety of ways.
But the artwork of Zoya M. led to protests from other parents, who saw bias against Jews, while the actions by the district produced Monday’s protest by a vocal group of Muslim parents, relatives and other students who complained about what they saw as yet another instance of bias against them in the district.
Zoya told the board Monday that she had painted three main elements into her parking spot at Half Hollow Hills West: Her name in Arabic script, a Muslim phrase, “peace be upon you,” and a watermelon. Depiction of the fruit has become a symbol of Palestinian solidarity and protest against Israel.
She and her family said that she had been brought into a meeting shortly after school began to be told that some people objected to her art choices but that she wasn’t in trouble. A few days later, she said, early on the morning of Sept. 11, she got calls from friends to tell her that district workers were removing the artwork, without warning to her or her family.
That provoked Monday’s protest, where numerous students and parents complained both about the district’s actions and accused the district of allowing discrimination against Muslims, citing several comments over the years by students and staff that indicated bias against them.
Two speakers questioned the artwork and effects on Jewish students; one was booed after she raised other kinds of symbols, such as a swastika or a Ku Klux Klan image, noting how the symbolism can change over the years.
Others stood by the artwork, with one saying of Zoya, “She has touched us at a profound level, she has expressed what so many of us are afraid to say.” That speaker also mentioned the word “genocide.”
One speaker brought statements from two temples, criticizing the inclusion of watermelon as a “cataylst of divisivness” and said it “negated the sovereign state of Israel” while demonstrating “anger and resentment of Jewish students.”
Several speakers demanded an apology from school superintendent Dr. Patrick Harrigan. Others challenged the district’s decision to remove the art as a violation of court rulings that allow students free speech under most circumstances.
Monday night, Harrigan said the discussion about the artwork could have been better handled, adding, “If I could do it again, we would have had a better conversation.
“I’m on the side that doesn’t believe there was any hate in her artwork,” he said. “The problem with symbols is that they can be interpreted differently by different people. That this was of a political nature on school property is really where the problem lies.”
The district noted that Zoya was not punished in any way, despite social media rumors that she had been suspended.
The district responded Tuesday with a statement that read:
“The Half Hollow Hills High School West student body has a tradition of allowing a small number of students who are Senior Class and Student Executive Council class officers to paint a parking spot in the student lot for their senior year. The district became aware of a politically controversial image that had been painted on one student’s parking space through social media and concerns expressed through calls and emails by parents and community members. The district decided to paint over a portion of the spot that included the controversial political image. The district’s action was based on its need to maintain neutrality regarding controversial political matters, particularly in connection with school-sponsored activities and district property. An image painted on school property can be wrongly attributed as a political statement supported by the district. I have met with the student and their parents and discussed the opportunity to repaint a portion of their spot or the entire spot with a new design. We continue to encourage our students to think critically about world events and formulate their own opinions and beliefs. At the same time, the district must maintain its own neutrality.”
It also released a copy of board policy on personal expression, specifically this statement:
“Although students generally retain their right to free expression in school, that right is not unfettered. School officials may regulate expression as to time, place and manner. Students’ expression which either is forecasted to cause or actually causes a substantial disruption and/or which materially interferes with school activities or rights of others is not constitutionally protected speech. Moreover, personal expression which involves threats or bullying/harassment of students and is directly connected to school or its activities is also not constitutionally protected speech.”
And it noted other kinds of artwork accepted in parking slots:
What are some of the images other students have painted? Flags of countries is done, right?
o Other images this year include:
§ Dr. Seuss, Oh, The Places You’ll Go!
§ Princess and the Frog, and the lyrics “and I’m almost there”
§ Seniors ’25 with a colorful beach scene
§ A series of multicolored hearts
§ A spot designed to look like an Apple Music song playing screen on an iPhone
§ The words “You’re” “Gonna” “Go” “Far” on sign posts
§ Eeyore depicted lying on the Moon saying, “I’d rather be sleeping”
§ Smiley face emojis
o In past years. the flags of countries have been depicted.
· Also, what if the girl painted a Palestinian flag?
o Yes, just as we have allowed flags from the US and other countries in the past.
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