Gay rights advocates want charter school to restore mural with LGBT message

New Jersey's largest gay rights advocacy group is condemning a Bergen charter school for destroying part of a student's mural that supported the LGBT community.

The Bergen Arts and Science Charter School in Hackensack, which leases its building from Holy Trinity Church, a Catholic church in Hackensack, painted over part of the mural that a 16-year-old student created because the church found it offensive.

The group Garden State Equality was enraged by that act, and is asking the Archdiocese of Newark to have the school restore the mural.

“It is offensive, unconscionable, and flatly unconstitutional for this church acting as a for-profit landlord to restrict a public school’s curriculum or censor student speech within those walls. This type of hate-fueled bigotry is precisely why New Jersey needs LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum to promote acceptance and understanding,” said Garden State Equality Executive Director Christian Fuscarino in a statement.

Read more: https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/local/2019/05/24/gay-rights-advocates-want-hackensack-school-restore-mural-lgbt-message-charter/1221222001/