Don't erase past in order to freshen up SHS

It was brought to my attention today, that they are planning on “freshening up” Sandpoint High School. In order to do this the school board has opted to stop this years seniors from designing and painting the traditional senior mural. In addition, the powers that be have also decided to paint over the old murals.

Painting a senior mural  was a tradition started in 1994, and every senior class since has created a mural to high-light that individual classes journey through high school. For those of you who have seen the murals, they are all tasteful, some are humorous, some are beautiful, and they are all well done. It takes the senior class months of planning and many hours of work to create these murals. They are a fine addition to the school. When you walk down the halls you feel as though the school belongs to the students.

At some point the school board and the principal of SHS, have opted to paint over the murals in favor of the Oh-so-welcoming look of stark walls.  Interestingly enough, the reason the mural tradition was started in the first place was to make the school seem less like an institution and more like a school.

My senior year at Sandpoint High was 1994. The year before our class lost a dear friend and classmate in a skiing accident. His name was Tucker Taylor, there is a scholarship in his name, the field house at Sandpoint High is named after Tucker, and the class of 1994 mural has a painting of his football jersey. This memorial was painted by his classmates and friends, it has been on the wall for 15 years. The mural has never been vandalized, and is not discolored or deteriorating in any way. 

There are teachers at Sandpoint High that went to school with Tucker, played on a football team with Tucker, remember teaching Tucker. His jersey on the wall is a symbol of his commitment to his teammates and his school. And to paint over it is absolutely unforgivable.

Each class has a story to tell, friends they lost, and championships they won. I have visited the school many times since 94, and I am always impressed by the creativity and individuality of the murals. Each class wants to do better than the ones before it.  The murals create a source of pride and ownership in the school for students and alumni.

It is no wonder why more and more parents are opting to put their children in alternative education programs. Why would you put your kids in a school that doesn’t support self expression, individuality and school pride?

Hopefully this letter will reach other SHS alumni and we can stop the destruction of these murals.

DARCY SLETAGER

Sandpoint