MUNCIE, Ind. — Muncie Central High School students held a third e-learning day in a row following a controversial school assignment. The school board is investigating the incident that led to a student protest.
It all stems from a school assignment teacher Katey O’Connor instructed her students, including Gabrielle Butler, to make a poster about social issues.
"Most of us, we decided to go toward Black Lives Matter and police brutality," Butler said.
Students displayed their posters in a hallway. The poster in question appeared to show an animal dressed as a police officer with blood spilling out of its mouth and names of people killed by officers.
The Muncie Community School Board said the poster has divided some students and school resource officers.
"They talked to the administration, and then our posters had to be moved. We couldn’t have them out in the hallway anymore," Butler said.
O'Connor posted about what she said happened on Facebook. She said the district's decision to take down the posters was based on Attorney General Todd Rokita's recent guidance on Black Lives Matter, calling it a political organization that should not be promoted or displayed in schools.
In response, some students protested Monday.
"They took away our freedom of speech," Butler said.
The school board tells 13News it is investigating, and the board is meeting with the people involved.
"These kids, they have valid concerns, and we understand that. We have heard their concerns, and they deserve to have those concerns addressed," said Andy Klotz, Muncie Community Schools chief communications officer. "Where change is needed, change will take place."
Schools do not have to provide a reason for e-learning days to the state. They just have to send the Department of Education the mode of instruction.
Muncie Central High School is expected to be back in class Friday with different school resource officers from last week.
The school board is holding a meeting about security Thursday night, which was already planned. It will email parents following the meeting.
The board discourages any more disruptive protests in school. Instead, it encourages students to march to city hall and back after school on Tuesday.