ARTISTIC LICENSE

Federal Judge OKs Trump Painting in Student Parking Space

The school board ordered it painted over, but the judge says it’s protected political speech.

A federal judge has ordered a Louisiana high school to let a student decorate his parking spot with a painting of President Donald Trump. The school board decided that Ned Thomas’ choice of adornment was too political and covered it with gray paint this summer, NOLA.com. But U.S. District Judge Eldon Fallon said the portrait is “pure political speech” protected by the First Amendment. “The painting of President Trump cannot reasonably be described as obscene or plainly offensive on its face, nor can it be construed as school-sponsored speech,” the judge wrote in a decision this week. Thomas said the friend he hired to paint the asphalt will be back next week to restore Trump’s face.