A student art contest at New Hartford Central School in Utica, New York, has stirred controversy for allowing the display of a piece of art that some are calling “racist.”
The artwork is reportedly a parody of cereal advertisements, but this one has raised eyebrows. The faux cereal product is called “Monkey Premium Cereal,” but the bigger problem is that the art features an image of NBA star LeBron James dunking a basketball next to the bowl of cereal.
The slogan on the mock advertisement reads, “You can jump high and dunk like Lebron James if you eat Monkey Premium cereal.”
Some parents contacted Utica radio station WIBX in alarm and questioned how the school could allow the art featuring the word “monkey” coupled with a photo of a famed black athlete to be entered into the art contest and to go on display at the school.
It is a longstanding racist trope to equate blacks to monkeys, and many parents were shocked that the school did not put a stop to the student’s use of LeBron James’ image in the “Monkey Cereal” artwork.
New Hartford Superintendent of Schools Dr. Cosimo Tangorra said the school is investigating the incident and noted that the student was contacted. He added that the school would not “divulge specific details regarding the student.”
He also seemed to wave off the incident by saying that officials are “using this as a teachable moment.”
“Despite our efforts, it is clear that more work needs to be done to challenge and raise awareness about stereotypes, prejudices, and discrimination,” Tangorra added.
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