Mural before change. Photo from Facebook.
Murals in a Tennessee school gym have been modified to remove Confederate flags after school district officials received complaints.
The complaints began in mid-December by Tullahoma resident and political activist David Clark.
According to media reports, a district administrator gave the maintenance department orders to modify the murals at South Cumberland Elementary School in Crossville.
One mural was a Confederate battle flag; South Cumberland’s mascot is a “rebel.” Jane Franklin, assistant to the district’s director, says that flag was painted over and may ultimately be repainted as a Tennessee state flag rather than a Confederate flag.
A second mural depicted a man carrying a Confederate flag standing between an eagle and a tree. A Caucasian-toned figure in a blue outfit was hanging by his jersey from a tree branch.
Franklin says the branch from which the figure is hanging has been painted over.
On social media Friday afternoon, the comments were overwhelmingly in favor of leaving the mural as-is. Several posts on Facebook questioned Clark for not respecting Southern heritage.
The complainant, David Clark, is a democrat running for Coffee County Commission, District 18. He will face Republican Barbara Buckner in the August 2, general election.
