Parents outraged over 'Wall of Ugly' high school project

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. — A science experiment display at a Huntersville School has outraged parents, who say it's unacceptable.

Students at Lake Norman Charter High School participated in a biology experiment called Genetic Baby Lab.

Students flipped a coin to get various traits and then made a drawing of what they thought their baby would look like, including skin tone and features.  

A mother who didn't want to be identified said she has no problem with the project.

But some of the results were posted on the wall inside the school and labeled "Wall of Ugly."

The unidentified mother said she did have a problem with that.

"Why would the word 'ugly' be used at all? And two, why would the word 'ugly' be placed over what appeared to be 10 to 12 brown faces?" she asked. "In this society, when we have teenagers struggling with identity and standards of beauty, a school should only be promoting things that are positive."

The woman said her daughter told her teacher twice that she found the wall offensive.

The mother said she brought it up to school leaders.

"I was told it was a joke," the mother said. "I was told I had no reason to be offended."

Other parents are also outraged.

"I was shocked to know that it was at my child's school," another parent said. "It was very disheartening."

Channel 9 called the school's managing director, Shannon Stein, and sent her an email, but is still waiting for a response.

The mother met with school leaders for about two hours on Thursday.

She said she received an apology from them and that she's pleased to hear that some changes will be made.

"(They are) increasing diversity efforts, increasing cultural sensitivity training for all staff, for students," she said.

The charter school sent a letter to parents saying in part, "First and foremost, we want to deeply apologize to those students and families who were directly impacted by this. This display was unacceptable and inconsistent with who we are as a school and community and has been removed."

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