Community rallies around BBHHS senior after parking space mural is vandalized

by Dan Holland

Members of the community came to the assistance of a senior at Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School after a mural she painted on her assigned parking space was vandalized twice within a three-day period.

Senior Maranda Parks, who is studying to become an emergency medical technician at Cuyahoga Valley Career Center and whose father is a police officer, spent six and a half hours painting the “Thin Blue Line” mural on Sunday, Aug. 15 to honor police, fire and EMT workers. The mural was defaced with derogatory words and images the following night.

Community members assisted Parks in repainting the mural Aug. 17 only to have it vandalized again the following night. More than 50 people, including students, parents and police officers, showed up the following Saturday afternoon to help her restore the mural a second time.

“I was really upset when I found out it was vandalized not just once, but twice,” said Parks. “It was upsetting because they’re not just disrespecting me, but also my dad – who is a police officer – and all of our first responders. This was just supporting my opinion of my views. It’s my right and freedom of speech to express my opinion, and someone tried to take away that right.”

In an Aug. 19 statement, BBHHS Principal Kevin Jakub said that the senior class had permission to paint their personal parking spaces for a fee as part of a “spirited, student-oriented activity.” More than 30 parking space designs were pre-approved by the school, the statement said.

“The thoughtless and potentially criminal actions of an individual or two, who were not being their best, attempted to dampen the mood,” according to the statement. “Fortunately, our unified and devoted high school family will not let that happen. In fact, our school community has rallied around the individual and family whose parking space was defaced with a great deal of love, donations, encouragement and other types of generous support emphasizing our commitment to be one community.”

“I was really grateful that I had a lot of supporters who came out to help me repaint it,” Parks said. “It meant a lot to me and my dad. Just knowing that I have that much support and that they respect my opinion, even if they don’t all support it. They were still all there for me.”

The school district is working with local police to investigate the incident. ∞