AndrewBlakeEugene, OR – Posters that called police“predators” were hanging on the walls and inside the classrooms of a public elementary school
Now the school wants to criminally charge the person who took them down.
The school district barred the person it thinks removed them and is talking with police about their unlawful removal, according to KLCC radio. 4-J District Superintendent Gustavo Balderas said removing the anti-police posters could be considered vandalism.
The posters hung on the walls of River Road /El Camino del Rio Elementary and read, “IMMIGRANTS WELCOME” in all capitals bold print. Underneath was listed statements including, “It doesn’t keep out predators; It gives them badges and guns.”
KLCC reported that school officials said they think a contractor took them off the wall during winter break.
That contractor shared photos of the posters on Facebook and many commenters accused the school of student indoctrination. KLCC reported that the contractor was barred from the school. The contractor removed the post from Facebook.
“It wasn’t the ‘IMMIGRANTS WELCOME’, it was what was below that, that spoke about the border wall and that was where it gets a bit tricky with the politics of it all,” Balderas said.
Balderas said some teachers have removed the original posters and the district is discussing its policies with educators.
“As of right now, we welcome any immigrant posters that are up anywhere across the district,” Balderas said. “It’s making sure that again we use language that does not politicize this statement.”
KLCC is the National Public Radio outlet for Oregonians. The KLCC article didn’t mention that the poster called police “predators.” Instead, the headline read, “In Eugene School, Controversy Over Torn Down Posters Welcoming Immigrants.”
The posters also made statements such as, “The border is not a wall – it’s a system of control” as well as “There is only one world, and the border is tearing it apart.”
The posters appear to have originated from crimethinc.com, which lists its mailing address in Oregon. That website describes itself as “a rebel alliance” and “is an international network of aspiring revolutionaries extending from Kansas to Kuala Lumpur.”
Do you trust your children’s school not to hang anti-police propaganda? We’d like to hear from you. Please let us know in the comments.