It was my pleasure and honor to recently work with students at Swampscott Middle School to create a mural in the school celebrating Freedom of Speech. Some Swampscott High School students also lent a hand.
“The kids brainstormed about the words which would represent types of responsible use of our rare and wonderful right of Freedom of Speech and they painted them on their candle with their names signed below. The candles are all different colors, shapes, sizes — just as we are with our various appearances, talents, and interests. But just as the flame on all candles is the same, we are all humans and we all share the same flame of humanity inside.
“I painted Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s quote along the top with the reminder below that to use their freedom wisely and responsibly. All Swampscott public school children in grades 5-8 will pass that mural hundreds of times during their four years at the Swampscott Middle School. It is my hope that it will kindle a flame in their hearts to use their words carefully and thus help to protect our democracy.”
High school students from the Students of Color Association (SOCA), along with middle schoolers in SOCA Jr., and other interested students collaborated with me to paint my design as a wall mural 18′ long by 9′ high, on the first floor by the stairwell leading to upstairs classrooms. All the public school children grades 5 through 8 will pass this mural several times a day, and I hope it inspires them of the wonderful right and responsibility they have with Freedom of Speech.
The mural centers around a Martin Luther King, Jr. quote. “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” Metropolitan Council for Education Opportunity (METCO) co-director Temi Bailey said the mural reflects Black History Month, the importance of freedom of speech and the nation’s upcoming 250th anniversary.
“Ms. Billings sat with the kids and discussed with them what are different ways you can bring light to the world,” Bailey said. Sheila was especially interested in having the students differentiate between responsible and irresponsible use of their Freedom of Speech.
While brainstorming with Billings about what represents “light,” students chose candles, Bailey said. Each student created a candle featuring a word that represents what freedom of speech means to them, such as truth, wisdom, dialogue, friendship, kindness, humor, courtesy, knowledge, inspiration, integrity, love or connection. The kids understood that to use their Freedom of Speech to lie, misrepresent, and insult is irresponsible use of their right. The students all signed their names below their candles to cement their feeling of ownership of the mural and its ideas.
This is the third iteration of a project for Black History Month. Last year, the group made quilt patches to represent themselves. After the pieces were sewn together, the quilt was paraded around town and displayed at the library, Town Hall, the Senior Center and all of the schools.
Two years ago, students created a documentary exploring the experiences of Black Americans from the era of Martin Luther King Jr. through the killing of George Floyd. There were interviews, discussions among each other as well as conversations with people such as Ralph Edwards, a co-founder of Swampscott Unites, Respects Embraces (S.U.R.E.) Diversity.
A video of the mural process, filmed by Bailey, will be shown at the rescheduled Black History Celebration next week following the snow cancellation.