Students fight back after diversity posters banned from school for being 'anti-Trump'

When the artist behind the classic Barack Obama "Hope" poster released an array of beautiful new images honoring diversity ahead of Trump's inauguration, they quickly became icons of a more welcoming country.

However, administrators at Westminster High School in Carroll County, Maryland have reportedly banned teachers from displaying the posters on campus, saying they're "anti-Trump" and just too political.

Students at the school, though, have found an ingenious way to get their point across. Many plan to wear T-shirts bearing those same images during a unified show of support on March 1, according to a "We the People - Stand with WHS" GoFundMe campaign.

You may have seen the posters in question held by some of the millions who took part in the Women's March in January. One shows a Latina woman with a flower in her hair and the words "We the people defend dignity." Another depicts a Muslim woman with an American flag hijab, captioned with the phrase, "We the people are greater than fear."

They're the work of Shepard Fairey, whose most notable piece is probably his rendering of Obama in shades of red, white and blue and the simple word that marked the spirit of his presidential campaign in 2008, "Hope."

Fairey's new work was released in collaboration with a nonprofit called Amplifier Foundation, as part of the "We the People" campaign that's also included other art focusing on diversity.

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

Some teachers first placed the posters on campus as a "show of diversity," Carey Gaddis, a spokeswoman for Carroll County Public Schools, told The Huffington Post. But at least one person on the school's staff complained about them, and teachers were then “asked to take them down because they were being perceived as anti-Trump by the administration,” Gaddis said.

The posters were allowed to go up again later, she said, but were ultimately taken down after school officials again decided the images were politically against Trump.

The pictures of people of color in patriotic colors may have been deemed too political by Westminster High School, but their creators disagree, according to Aaron Huey, a photojournalist and executive director of Amplifier Foundation. He said that, while recognizing groups who may be targeted by the Trump Administration, those posters are "definitely NOT anti-Trump in nature."

“Anyone who believes that these messages are dangerous or divisive needs to check themselves,” he added.

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

The ban prompted 2012 graduate Sarah Wack to start a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for T-shirts students will wear bearing the same images, all during a demonstration on March 1.

"Celebrating diversity in our community is not a political statement," Wack wrote on the fundraiser page. "We trust our CCPS [Carroll County Public Schools] teachers to promote an environment in our schools where all students feel safe and encouraged."

The fundraiser's already surpassed its $4,000 goal with more than $5,000 currently gathered. Donors have commented with praise for the campaign. "Promoting diversity should be acceptable regardless of what Administration is in the White House," wrote Mark Janeczek.

Carroll County is 93 percent white, according to 2015 census records, and the region has historically struggled with issues of race and diversity. In 2016, the Carroll County Public Schools system reported difficulties with hiring a more diverse staff. School board members said college teaching programs were worried about sending their minority candidates to work for the school system, according to the Carroll County Times.

"Our reputation precedes us," Patricia Levroney, supervisor of equity and community outreach for the school system, told The Times. "They are skeptical about placing teachers into Carroll County Public Schools."