The Granite Hills High School Mural on the northwest side of the mini-gym.

Recently rumors have roared about the possibility of the removal and relocation of the “Home of the Grizzlies” mural located on the northwest side of the mini-gym.  Many believed these rumors originated from complaints made by Porterville and Monache High School parents on the premise that the mural’s location is inappropriate because it faces the district stadium.  However, Porterville Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Snavely said the rumors sprouted from his own concerns. 

The “Home of the Grizzlies” mural was possible due to the hard work of last year’s graduates. Teachers and ’07 students dedicated their efforts and free time to ensure that the whole student body would like the mural.

After searching for just the right mural design, they decided upon a design proposed by Box Graphics, a company located in Los Angeles.  “The class of 2007 did a lot of work.  Parents fundraised and came up with a fantastic amount of money,” recalled Mrs. Duncan.  In fact they fundraised from about $12,000 to $14,000.
 
Principal Mrs. Duncan didn’t expect any problems to be caused by its location. “When we were thinking about a place to put it, we weren’t thinking that ‘Oh this is going to be facing the district stadium.’  We just wanted it to be facing the entrance of the school where people can see it because most people come that way to go to school.” 

I actually circled the perimeter of the school studying all the other possible locations for a mural.  Sure enough, from Olive Avenue, once the mural becomes close enough to make out, it is quickly obscured by houses and trees.  As I was driving parallel to the pool and parking lot I could not view any buildings at all due to the fact that the school sits on higher ground.

The main accusation against the mural’s existence is whether Granite Hills had proper approval of the mural.  Mrs. Duncan supported that the mural was approved by the PUSD Board of Trustees, stating, “Before anything was started I called the district office and talked to Dr. Gibbs (who’s in charge of facilities and is an assistant superintendent), and let him know what we were going to do, and got his approval.  I considered this to be the district’s approval.” After asking which person had the authority to approve the mural, John Nash, President of the PUSD Board of Trustees, stated that he believed the person would most likely indeed be Dr. Gibbs. 

The issue has purely resulted from the animosity created by school rivalries, rather than the claim that the mural causes emotional damage to other supporters of other schools.  As for school-spirited students and teachers on the Granite Hills’ campus, the opinion is unanimous.  

Granite Hills Senior Ernesto Ruiz believes Granite Hills rarely is allowed to show their school pride, stating, “Every chance we do something good for ourselves, the rest of Porterville complains about it.  I feel like maybe they’re jealous that Granite Hills has accomplished so much despite our “gang school” reputation.  We raised money within the school for the sign and we should be able to show our sense of school pride with the mural.  The mural needs to stay up, it should be our decision, and it’s our sign.” 

Granite Hills’ Sophomore Sandra Leon made it clear and simple, “Basically, it’s our sign.”

Senior Chris Zavala passionately states, "The school adequately received approval for the mural for its existing location. We were honest and fair in the whole process. The issue is frivolous, nothing more then an excuse to [hurt] our morale, not to uphold theirs.  Athletes on a professional level have to deal with it on an even greater magnitude with away games—I’m sure the local jocks can endeavor a cute little painting, one I might add that has the connotation of being a senior year gift. To remove the mural is to detach an entire senior class from the school and in doing so fairness and reason would be subservient to pettiness."

However, one does not have to be a Grizzly to find that removing this mural is unnecessary.

Porterville High School Senior Anthony Cemo commented, “I think is that it shouldn't have to come down.”  In response to my question of how it affects him as an athlete who uses the district stadium, Cemo replied “I don't notice it while I'm on the field unless I'm told to look at it.  I don't think its a very big deal that its up there.” 

Monache High School junior Amanda Swearingen, agreed along the same lines. "The gym is Granite’s and the mural is on the gym,” rather than the actual district football field.  “I don't think they should take it down. The stadium is still everybody's whether you can see it or not."  She makes a very good point.  While the stadium belongs to the whole district, the gym does not have to be shared within the district.  

One main query with the issue is why are we dealing with it now?  The mural has been up for almost a whole year now.  Why spend a tremendous amount of money on this issue when it could have been avoided altogether? Dr. Snavely claims, "Unfortunately I was not aware that it was going up ahead of time or I might have been able to persuaded it to be placed else where, which would have avoided a lot of controversy.” 

Dr. Snavely admits this is not Mrs. Duncan’s fault but rather due to “a lack of communication within the district.”  But regardless of this lack of communication, the authority to approve high school murals does not lie with our Superintendent.  It instead lies with the school board. 

So why does Granite Hills have to pay for the district’s lack of communication, (if that is after all, the case)?  Why punish us after all this hard work?  The school board would be responsible for funding the expensive price of the relocation of the mural.  The price is estimated to be at least $13,000 due to the fact that there will be an additional cost for the paint and painters to mask the existing mural.  Dr. Snavely believes some falsely exaggerate the total price to be $20,000 or $30,000.  He instead insists that the additional cost for the paint and painters will be minute.

However, $13,000 is still a tremendous amount of money to spend on such a trivial issue.  The cost of its relocation, even at the lowest possible price of $12,000, is money the community of Porterville should put to better use.  Think of how many text books, or even computers $12,000 could purchase.

What about other schools who share facilities with other schools in the district? Porterville High shares their auditorium, but I haven’t heard any complaints about the fact that the front of the auditorium is titled “Porterville High School, Buck Shaffer Auditorium.”  That’s because it would be just plain silly.

So puh-leease! Quit Whining! If the mural is an honest and serious threat to your emotional status, why not find a smart solution that wouldn’t hurt anyone?  Why can’t Monache and Porterville each fundraise for a vinyl sign to hang over the mural when necessary?  While Dr. Snavely points out that this might be a hassle, it’s the easiest and cheapest solution.  A vinyl sign of that size would be about $5,000.  That’s less than half the cost of relocating the mural!  Besides, Monache and Porterville each use the stadium only three to six times a year, and only during the season of football. Doesn’t sound like too much of a hassle to me.  So instead of fueling school rivalry tensions by stripping the Rankin stadium of any school identity, let’s promote school pride for each school while also encouraging a sense of teamwork and cooperation between the schools.  If either school simply doesn’t want to fundraise for such an effort, an even cheaper solution is available: conceal the mural with a tarp!  Wow, many solutions can be found when we stop fussing and actually think! Who would have known? 

Anyone and everyone who wishes to voice their opinion about the mural’s possible relocation, contact the Porterville Recorder and the PUSD Board of Trustees. Stay tuned to the Grizzly Gazette for how you can prevent the mural’s relocation and for further updates on the issue. 

Send a letter to the Porterville Recorder through snail mail at 115 East Oak, Porterville, CA 93257, or post your comment via the web at http://www.recorderonline.com/sections/editor-form.  Send a letter to the Board of Trustees at 600 West Grand Avenue, Porterville, CA 93257.