The Clovis High School Freshman Academy painted over a mural last month after the school system received a letter from the Freedom From Religion Foundation. 

The letter was dated August 15, and “within hours” Superintendent Jody Balch had the mural painted over according to easternnewmexiconews.com. 

The mural featured the image of a dove and an anchor with the quote “Hope anchors the soul.”  Those four words are from the sixth chapter of Hebrews in the New Testament.

“The Freedom From Religion Foundation is thankful for the quick response from Clovis Schools,” television station KRQE in Albuquerque reported.  “But the group did question why the school didn’t just use a similar literary quote.”

KRQE reported that a complaint from one parent led to correspondence from the FFRF. 

KRQE also reported, “Most people we spoke with in Clovis were not offended by the mural.”

It was painted by an art teacher in 2013 who left the district shortly after making the mural according to easternnewmexiconews.com. 

Image from Clovis Schools via KRQE.