To the editor:

I’d like to add a personal note to the “Take a Stand” piece on the Century School mural. My son became excited about art in an entirely new way as a result of the mural project. When I picked him up from school, he couldn’t wait to regale me with historical information on Kansas murals. He learned about Lawrence artist David Lowenstein’s murals and went to visit one. He bought postcards of murals with his allowance and took them to school to discuss with his outstanding teacher, Tim Holtzclaw, who thought up this creative experiential-learning project.

With the theme of “everything connects to everything else” as inspiration, my son created a drawing that depicted leaves gradually turning into paper as they fell from a tree into a classroom window. The delight he showed when his drawing was chosen to be included in the mural was a joy to see and was evidenced by his, “Hooray, it’s a school day!” shouts each weekday morning.

Students, teachers and parents have worked alongside each other on the mural. This supportive family-style atmosphere has taught the children that they, and their art, are loved and valued. True, the proper permits and permissions were unwittingly not secured. But I hope our community will learn to cherish and celebrate the creative energy of our young people rather than belabor minor bureaucratic mistakes in a public forum.

Deborah Altus,

Lawrence