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Board member says cotton‑and‑rope wreath outside district office caused hurt; calls for dialogue
Summary
Board member Eric Cummings said staff contacted him to say a wreath made of cotton and rope displayed outside a district office during Black History Month caused pain because of historical associations with slavery and lynching; he urged the district to treat the matter as a learning opportunity and to listen to affected staff.
Board member Eric Cummings (referred to in remarks as Reverend Cummings) raised a staff concern at the March 10 Marion County School Board meeting about a wreath displayed outside a district office on the last day of Black History Month.
"Cotton is tied to the painful legacy of slavery and forced labor," Cummings said. "The rope, particularly when displayed in certain ways, can evoke the…
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