Repeated vandalism of a poster in a Macon high school led officials to write “whether you like it or not” under the image of President Donald Trump, school officials said Tuesday.
The Air Force junior ROTC chain of command display in Howard High School had been vandalized several times over the past year, schools spokeswoman Stephanie Hartley told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The spokeswoman said the nameplate below each picture posted in the display is printed on paper. An instructor replaced the sign below Trump’s name repeatedly and added “whether you like it or not” late last week after another paper nameplate below his picture had been defaced.
The act garnered attention when someone posted video of the display to Facebook, perceiving the nameplate as negative.
Several people contacted Principal Shannon Norfleet after the video was shared on social media.
“The nameplate was changed by one of our instructors in an effort to send the message to our students that the Commander in Chief, the President, is to be respected, regardless of anyone’s personal feelings,” Norfleet said in a statement. “Obviously, many have perceived it as other than honorable, and for that, we apologize.”
After speaking with school officials, the man who posted the video deleted his post and apologized, Hartley said.
“There has been a great deal of conflict in our country over the past year and we are using this incident as an opportunity to continue to address character, respect and honor as we speak with our students,” Hartley said.
The temporary sign has been removed and officials are seeking a more permanent solution, including title/position and name only.
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