Visitor 'shocked' to see graphic Lincoln assassination mural at a Galveston ISD middle school

GALVESTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A controversial mural depicting former President Abraham Lincoln's assassination in front of a middle school is no more after a parent raised concerns about the graphic image.

Chuck Chaney, a family member of a student at Galveston ISD's Central Middle School, visited the campus on Tuesday and couldn't believe what stood in front of him when he looked up and saw a certain mural. He didn't reach out to the district about it, but ABC13 did, and it appears after we inquired, changes are being made.

"Basically, John Wilkes Booth points-blank range shooting Abraham Lincoln in the back of the head," Chaney explained. "It's pretty graphic."

Chaney took a photo of the mural and shared the image on social media.

"Seeing a gun that close to somebody's head in the process of being fired with stuff coming out the backend," Chaney said. "That's not something you see every day and something our students shouldn't be subjected to as well."

ABC13 reached out to Galveston ISD for a statement. Here's what the district sent:

"The painted image in the photograph that has been shared on social media is visible in Central Middle School. The painting had been previously covered by posters for an extended period of time and was only recently revealed when the posters were removed under the direction of Central's current principal, Stephanie Mendoza, who is in her first year of leadership at this campus. The wall will be repainted by the end of the day, permanently removing the art. Galveston Independent School District is committed to providing a safe and nourishing learning environment for its students."

ABC13 asked the district how long the mural was on the wall, and why it was covered with posters instead of removed. We didn't receive an answer.

Chaney found this statement as perplexing as the image being allowed on the wall.

"I think it probably should've been painted over before the posters went up," Chaney said. "Before it became an issue because kids are walking through that school today seeing that image."

The family member is glad the mural is being painted over, but he wonders just how long it was uncovered and how many children may have seen the mural before it was painted over.

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