The fallout from James Franco's sexual misconduct allegations seems to have no end. First, there was the public shame in having to endure such allegations coming to light in a very publicized manner; then there was the Oscar snub for Best Actor, which was more-than-likely a result of his tarnished reputation. Now, Franco is being chastised by the high school that nurtured his talent's as a soon-to-be acclaimed film star, both in front of and behind the lens.
Two murals and over a dozen original paintings that were created by their most notable alumni once decorated the walls of Palo Alto High School , as a way to celebrate his career/achievements and his widespread influence over the arts.
Palo Alto Unified School District Interim Superintendent Karen Hendricks spoke with The Hollywood Reporter about the decision to cover up any and last trace of Franco's presence within the building. She notes how "the school site and district appreciated his donation, acknowledging that the artwork was intended to be temporary in nature and would be respectfully returned or painted over at some point."
Hendricks goes on to admit that "district staff recently considered the best interests of our students in the light of our educational mission, and decided to remove and return the remaining artwork. The second mural was taken down last week; our Latinos Unidos group is working with the Paly ASB and VAPA Department around the concept for a new mural to be painted. Their idea was to celebrate the rich cultural backgrounds and diversity on our campus. We are excited that they came up with this idea, and look forward to helping them with the project."
One mural was already replaced by a student-made composition in 2016, while artworks that hung in the library were removed during a renovation last summer. The remaining paintings that decorate the walls of the building will soon be replaced with other original student art.
