Photo by Richard Rothman
This Saturday, May 4, SFUSD will open George Washington High School to the public for viewings of the Life of George Washington mural series inside the school, painted by Victor Arnautoff in 1936.
The murals are currently endangered, and may be painted over before the fall semester begins. Two of thirteen panels in the series contain offensive representations of Native Americans and African-Americans, and opponents of the mural, including a specially convened SFUSD committee, are calling its destruction before the start of the next school year.
In an ongoing poll here on the blog, 75% of readers favor keeping the murals, but adding explanatory signage for students and the public to address the controversial panels.
On Saturday the school will open from 10am until 12noon for viewings of the murals. The school entrance is located at 600 32nd Avenue.
If you haven’t seen the murals before, try to make it to this opening. But if you can’t, you can also email newsline@sfusd.edu for additional public viewing times.
Sarah B.
Along with the latest WSJ article by Fergus Bordewich, I suggest anyone who even thinks about these murals should watch the new documentary “Liberty and Slavery” https://libertyandslavery.com/ help understand the mind set at the time. It turns out Washington was not only our 1st president but possibly one of the 1st abolitionist of the time. Quoting Pat Thurston from KGO radio, the idea of painting over the murals is “intellectual ignorance”. I am a proud 1970 graduate of GWHS! We were educated! Don’t let history and art get white washed over!
It’s inaccurate to say “Two of thirteen panels in the series contain offensive representations of Native Americans and African-Americans, ”
The truth of the matter is that SOME people think they are offensive. Others see them in the context in which they were painted and do not find them offensive, but rather an accurate representation of history. It’s the history itself that is troublesome, not the murals.
I am the proud parent of a GWHS graduate. School is a place for education, not sterilization. Murals are not just for decoration like wallpaper. The are intended to connect with the viewer in a meaningful way. This discussion and debate on their meaning and significance is exactly what they are about. We are all enriched by this dialogue. Promoting historical revsion-ism does not not change history, it just obscures it.
Destroying Art is shameful act that would define our generation for years to come.
What do we think today of the people that defaced ancient temples or mutilated the classic Greek sculptures genitals based on their moral/religious opinions? Or the self-righteous critics that burn books throughout the ages? There are also groups who would put blinders on science education citing parallel arguments of personal offense based on religious/spiritual beliefs.
Wake up! Our children need more education, not less!
I just sent this email to the principle:
Ms. Saunders,
I recently read an article about the murals on the walls of your high school depicting the “Life of George Washington” and that they are somehow traumatizing African American and Native American students because their respective “peoples” are portrayed in subordinate or belligerent roles.
Apparently the Reflection and Action Working Group designated to decide the fate of this 83 year old work of art has deemed that it glorifies “white supremacy” and does not support values of “social justice.” This massive work of art was created during the WPA era and was authored by a communist and a protege of Diego Rivera. How the heck could it be anything other that an artifact of challenge and resistance to the forces of oppression?
Presumably you want to develop students who can critique complex ideas with subtlety and detect irony and weigh subtext against super-text. Banning this work, hiding this work, or destroying this work serves the forces of darkness and stupidity. I’m sure, if you respond, you’ll tell me that its not up to you. Its the school board or the superintendent who decides these things.
This is your school and you can set the tone about how you want these kids to engage the world. Our history has problematic aspects to it and we need to understand them if we are to evolve our society past them. Today we live in a climate of fear of instant outrage and thoughtless scapegoating. Someone has to stand up and demand better inquiry. We need to expect more from our kids and what they can handle, intellectually. This isn’t an elementary school. These kids should understand the context of this great work of art and the era of its creation.
I live in New York, I’m never going to see this painting. My kids’ high school is covered with banalities, positive aphorisms, and stock photography. To have something so profound and artistically significant to interact with as that mural is a tremendous privilege. It disturbs me that its not valued for the cultural landmark that it is, and that your community is considering defacing it. The message to the kids will be: “you’re not smart enough to understand this,” or “we don’t trust you know how to process the discomfort or distress provocative ideas create, so we’re going to treat you like a child and not a future leader of our nation.”
I hope I’m preaching to the choir and please forgive my unsolicited communication.
I think it must be a lack of proper education…what else could it be? Some people think it is offensive…all our history is now offensive and needs to be removed? Please educate your students….running away from your past is a sure way to repeat it…I can only hope someone at your school sees this weakness for what it is.