EL CAJON, Calif. — A debate over freedom of speech versus political activism is erupting at Granite Hills High School in El Cajon.
What started out as a creative fundraising effort has neighbors wondering why a Trump 2024 sign is painted for all to see on the school’s parking lot.
“I think it's terrible. It has no place in a public school,” said neighbor Albert Meier, a retired grade school teacher.
Meier, 78, walks by Granite Hills High almost every day. But the Trump 2024 sign on the parking lot stopped him in his tracks.
“It’s political, that's the beef. It has no place on a public high school promoting an election,” said Meier. He wants the painted sign removed.
“Even if they had Biden. It has no place. It's not for political parties. I’d be here just as fast if it was Biden. It's wrong,” said Meier.
The painted parking lot spots are part of a fundraising effort by the Granite Hills High School Class of 2021. Seniors paid about $100 to paint their reserved parking spots. The money goes to fund student events.
“You submit a design, a preliminary design, to administration and they approve it,” said a Granite Hills senior who only wanted to be identified by his first name, Owen.
The student said there were no political restrictions on the parking lot messages.
“I don't believe there were any restrictions against political slogans or anything like that. But it has to be in accordance with the student code of conduct,” said Owen.
Students told News 8 the Trump 2024 parking spot had been vandalized two or three times. Someone threw black paint on it and when the message was re-painted, someone wrote a homophobic slur below, which made matters worse.
“I don't believe it was a disruption of the learning environment here at Granite Hills, however it was offensive and it was rude,” said Owen.
When Meier, the neighbor, complained to the Grossmont Union High School District, a director told him students have freedom of speech and the sign cannot be removed; a position at least one senior agreed with after doing some of his own research.
“The Supreme Court ruled that students have free speech, as long as it doesn't disrupt the learning environment and, in this case here, I don't think it disrupted any learning environment,” said Owen.
The Grossmont Union High School District emailed News 8 the following statement Tuesday evening:
“A member of our community, with whom multiple GUHSD administrators have spoken, believes that public school students are not allowed to display political messages of any kind. The Supreme Court, however, says students “do not shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech and expression at the schoolhouse gate.” GUHSD recognizes, encourages, and will protect our students’ right to freely express their beliefs. If a sign supporting a political candidate is not constitutionally protected speech, what is? If free speech isn’t safe on a public school campus, where is it actually safe?
As educators, we have a responsibility to honor the viewpoint and background of all, and to encourage student discussion of our country’s complex challenges in a way that encourages empathy. Limiting the free expression of constitutionally protected speech would take our society down an unhealthy path.”
The District said it is looking into the "insensitive and inappropriate" homophobic remark written in chalk.