GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Grayson High School seniors in Gwinnett County will be able to keep their painted parking spaces after the district reversed its decision to remove the artwork.
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The students had initially been given permission to paint their parking spaces for a $25 fee, allowing them to express themselves through art. However, the district later ordered the paint to be removed, causing an uproar among students and parents.
“Some people started tearing up when they heard the news,” said Brooke Burns, a senior at Grayson High School. “Cause a lot of people spent time, energy, a lot of money.”
Brooke Burns and her classmates were relieved when they learned that Gwinnett County Public Schools decided not to remove the painted parking spaces after all. Brooke Burns mentioned that she spent between $200 to $300 on paint that was safe to use.
A total of 58 students participated in painting the spaces, ensuring that there were no words of profanity or political messages.
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Despite this, the district initially decided to remove the paint without providing a clear explanation.
In response, Brooke Burns started a Change.org petition that quickly gathered nearly 400 signatures. She also posted on social media and planned a protest to fight the district’s decision.
Tamara Burns, Brooke’s mother, expressed her support for the students’ efforts, stating, “We’re gonna fight because this brought our community together.”
Bernard Watson, a spokesperson for Gwinnett County Public Schools, acknowledged the situation, saying, “These kids did nothing wrong. This is a breakdown in how the process is supposed to go when we get requests like this.”
The district has allowed the painted spaces to remain until the end of the school year, citing the impracticality of removing the paint annually for the large number of graduating students.
“It doesn’t hurt to try to speak up. It doesn’t hurt to stick up for something you believe in,” Brooke Burns told Channel 2’s Tom Jones.
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