Federal District Court Holds Hearing On Controversial Mural Today At Vermont Law School

Following up on my previous posts (links below):  Valley News, Vermont Law School Mural Court Hearing to Take Place at the School:

A hearing in the federal lawsuit an artist has filed against Vermont Law School is set to take place at the school this fall. In a recent filing, U.S. District Court set the hearing for 10 a.m. Oct. 8 in the law school’s Oakes Hall.

The venue is adjacent to VLS’ Chase Community Center, where artist Sam Kerson painted two murals in 1993 and 1994 depicting Vermont’s role in the Underground Railroad. In recent years, criticism of the murals’ depiction of African Americans has led to calls for their removal.

Update: Valley News, Vermont Law School Mural Case on Display for Vermont Law Students:

It’s not every day that a law student gets to listen in when someone is suing their law school, Monet Ballard, a first-year student at Vermont Law School, said Friday.

Ballard and dozens of other students crowded into a lecture hall for a hearing on the school’s motion to dismiss a case brought by an artist whose murals VLS wants to place behind a wall.

Prior TaxProf Blog coverage: 

• Vermont Law School To Paint Over Mural Celebrating State's Role In The Underground Railroad And Abolitionist Movement Because Depiction Of Blacks 'Made Some People Uncomfortable' (July 11, 2020)
• Vermont Law School Gives Artist 90 Days To Remove 'Offensive' Mural (July 27, 2020)
• Artist Defends Mural Honoring Underground Railroad And Abolitionist Movement That Vermont Law School Plans To Paint Over Because Some Black Students Say It Is Racist (July 31, 2020)
• Artist Sues To Prevent Vermont Law School From Painting Over Underground Railroad Murals That Black Students Call Racist (Dec. 4, 2020)
• Vermont Law School Moves To Dismiss Lawsuit By Artist To Protect Underground Railroad Murals That Black Students Call Racist (Feb. 7, 2021)
• The Writing Is On The Wall For Vermont Law School's Underground Railroad Murals After Federal Judge’s Ruling (Mar. 13, 2021)
• Debate Continues Over Vermont Law School's Underground Railroad Murals That Black Students Call Racist (Sept. 6, 2021)