Sarabeth Queale
The Mount community is increasingly diverse, and students represent both sides of many discussions. An on-campus debate club even hosts constructive debates on current events. One discussion has been the focus of recent tension: human rights and reproduction.
Mount Students for Life, a student-led organization championing the lives of the unborn, held a public sidewalk chalk art event on Mar. 28. The school-sponsored chalk art was displayed for only a few hours before the drawings of animals and messages of hope were disturbed.
Dr. Levi Esses, MSMU Vice President, emailed the Mount community. Esses says, "Late in the evening, the messages on the sidewalk were washed away or written over by unidentified individuals. These acts were disrespectful, not approved by the University." The liquid used to wash away chalk art and the specific content of the protesting messages have not been officially confirmed.
Director of Public Safety, Ronald Hibbard, stated that "Public Safety discovered the messages at 9:55 pm." By morning, all sidewalks were washed by Public Safety.
Anthony Zaccaria, President of Mount Students for Life, acknowledges the policies in place for community events and hopes to coordinate another rendition of the chalk event. "Additionally, these actions displayed an unwillingness to engage in thoughtful dialogue and furthers the divide between students rather than trying to bridge it."
