High School Forces Teacher To Remove Mural Honoring Fallen Officers

Peabody, MA – Peabody High School Principal and School board have fored a special education teacher to remove a mural outside of his classroom honoring fallen cops because teachers and students found it offensive.

Greg Schidler, a special education teacher, started a mural outside of his classroom five years ago honoring cops that have been killed in the line of duty.

The Peabody High School Principal along with the school board told Schidler last week that he had to remove the mural because students and teachers were “feeling threatened” by the mural honoring those who have sacrificed their lives to protect and serve their communities.

In addition some staff members reported the mural as racist despite the fact that the mural represented officers from all different ethnicities and backgrounds.

On Friday a Peabody Police Officer posted about the situation on social media.

Eventually after the mayor and a member of the school board committee got involved a compromise was reached and the mural is being moved to the Community Outreach Office in the main lobby.

However the fact that the mural has to be moved is not necessarily a win. The teacher has had this up for five years with no complaints from anyone until now. The decision appears to be politically motivated as opposed to a real concern for a threat to anyone’s safety.