Lubbock-Cooper ISD Addresses Rumor of Political Bias

The Lubbock-Cooper Independent School District has addressed a rumor of political bias that started on social media shortly after the school district condemned the vandalization of school property on August 17th, 2020.

Each year for the past four years, Lubbock-Cooper ISD seniors are allowed to purchase their own exclusive parking spot at the school and paint or decorate it however they want, with a few exceptions. It was discovered on Monday that several parking spots which had "Trump 2020" painted on them had been vandalized and painted over with messages such as "Black Lives Matter" and "#SaveOurChildren."

Lubbock-Cooper ISD Superintendent Dr. Keith Bryant issued a statement that morning condemning the vandalism and ensuring the public that those responsible would be prosecuted if identified. "We have students and staff with differing political beliefs; and we expect those beliefs to be respected and valued. As United States citizens, we have the freedom to disagree with one another, but it is completely unacceptable (and illegal) to vandalize property in disagreement," said Dr. Bryant.

Shortly after the incident, it was reported that a rumor was being spread on social media that Lubbock-Cooper ISD was not being honest about its school policies. The rumor, according to an August 19th press release from the school district, accused LCISD of allowing senior students to paint pro-Trump messages, but instructed a student to paint over a parking space they had written "Black Lives Matter" on.

In the statement, Dr. Bryant assured students and the public that the rumor is false and that the only material prohibited from being painted on senior parking spots is profanity or vulgar images. He pointed out that the only instance in which a political message would be prohibited was if it also contained profanity or vulgar images.

He went on to reaffirm that Black Lives Matter statements are not prohibited by the school district, and that they encourage students to express their beliefs.