Idaho Ed News, Rochester, New York At a school in Rochester, New York, an inclusive poster that was prohibited in West Ada classrooms but spread on T-shirts, yard signs, and marquees as a form of protest is now a permanent presence.
Inspired by teacher Sarah Inama’s reluctance to take down her poster, two high school seniors, Luis Collazo and Lillian Brickman, painted an Everyone is Welcome Here mural outside their school’s main office, Rochester’s School of the Arts.
RELATED | A teacher in Idaho was instructed to take down placards that advocated for diversity. There was controversy.
RELATED | Hundreds gather in Boise to support an inclusive classroom poster phrase that ignites a movement
RELATED | A teacher in Idaho quits signs in the classroom. This is what she said to school administrators.
There are many LGBT people at this mostly Black and Latino institution. We hope that our community will find strength and support in (the mural). Brickman sent an email to EdNews.
According to Brickman, she and Collazo put a lot of effort into creating the artwork, which they saw as their senior gift to the school.
“At a time when so many school districts are refusing to stand up for their students, I think it is very powerful that our school allowed us to paint this mural,” Brickman stated. The West Ada District’s response to Sarah Inama’s sign, which served as the inspiration for our piece’s design, stands in stark contrast to it. Despite systematic resistance, diversity and advancement will prevail!
According to Inama, the students’ mural has left her speechless.
Making our spaces more inclusive and welcoming for everyone is the main goal, and if our kids can do that for one another, that’s the most lovely way to do it, Inama noted in a statement to EdNews.
“This is not indoctrination; rather, it is a simple and innocent acceptance of others,” Inama added. Students, in my opinion, have a great deal of power to spread this message and create a sense of community among their classmates.
Inama intends to display her inclusive signage in her new East Junior High classroom after accepting a teaching position with the Boise School District.
RELATED | An Idaho student addresses the district poster controversy during a graduation speech by deviating from the script.
Originally published on June 25, 2025, on IdahoEdNews.org
