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Op 22 Oktober 2019 is ʼn video gesirkuleer van ʼn Christen pa by Grantleigh Curroskool, wat die kunsuitstalling van ʼn matriekleerling afneem.

Grantleigh School-richards bay

Die hele uitstalling is satanies en godslasterlik. Dit beeld Jesus as ʼn nar uit, dit bevat koppe met horings en geskeurde Bybelbladsye en ander godslasterlikhede. Hier is van die prente:

Nar: xxx xxx xxx say God. Jesus: And I say Satan.	Satan: She loves the gift I gave him. Jesus: My tiara of thorns.

Volgens die video wat die pa gemaak het, het hierdie leerling tydens die skool se prysuitdeling baie toekennings ontvang vir hierdie kunswerke.

ʼn Mens lei af dat hierdie video gemaak is ʼn dag ná die prysuitdeling, dus het niemand die uitstalling verwyder nie.

ʼn Christen skool

Grantleigh skool gee hulleself uit as ʼn Christenskool, of ten minste ʼn skool waar Christelike waardes geleef word. Op Grantleigh se webblad, is die eerste punt onder hulle missie die volgende:

“To uphold Christian values and encourage principled, caring and responsible behaviour at all times”

Onder hulle promosievideo op Youtube (Grantleigh Promotional video) verskyn die volgende woorde:

“Grantleigh is an independent school catering for students from grade RRR through to grade 12. The school has a Christian ethos and is set in a tranquil country environment offering old world values with new world standards.”

Volgens die pa in die video is die skool se leuse: “To God be the glory.”

Grantleigh reageer

Op dieselfde dag het Grantleigh die volgende amptelike verklaring uitgereik na baie reaksie van die publiek:

22 October 2019 Dear Parents and Guardians SOCIAL MEDIA OUTCRY: GRADE 12 ART PROJECT We are aware of a social media outcry after a video featuring one of our learners’ final art projects went viral on social media yesterday. The project filmed and featured is part of a final submission to the IEB [Independent examinations board] and was displayed in the school foyer as part of a year-end exhibition. We have taken cognisance of the allegations made on social media; the matter is currently subject to an internal investigation. We want to reiterate that comments made is not an accurate reflection of our school and the situation referred to and we reserve our rights in this regard. Curro welcomes all comments that are constructive and contribute to discussions in a meaningful manner. However, we do not condone cyber bullying, religious intolerance, hate speech, derogatory language, misrepresentation and comments reflecting negatively on our brand on any social media pages. Further questions can be referred to the school or engage@curro.co.za. (Geteken) Andrew Norris Executive Head: Grantleigh

Motivering van kunstenaar

Volgens die leerder self het hy geen satanistiese motivering gehad nie. Volgens UPDATE: Grantleigh responds to artwork video (22 Oktober 2019):

The learner who created the artwork has issued a rationale behind each piece on display, which will be published in this week’s ZO [Zululand Observer] Weekender edition on Thursday.

He said the artwork demonstrates organised religion’s preoccupation with making money and its exploitation of those with blind faith.

He said one of the pieces is symbolic of the lack of choice children have when born into and raised in a particular faith.

Chrizel Strauss het aan die gesprek op die ouer se Facebook-blad deelgeneem en gesê dat die kuns wil uitbeeld dat mense hulle McDondalds (geld) in die plek van God aanbid. Volgens haar poog die kunstenaar om ’n stelling vír God en nie téén God te maak nie. “You are judging and crucifying the work without having any insight. This is how Jesus must have felt when everyone turned against Him because they did not understand,” (uit Is Kuns Wat God As McDonalds-Clown Uitbeeld, Godslasterlik Of Nie? (Joydigitalmag))

Vriende van die kunstenaar het hom verdedig en gesê dat hy probeer wys het hoe leeg die lewe geword het omdat mense spiritualiteit met materialisme, soos McDonalds, vervang het (verteenwoordig deur die Ronald McDonald hanswors).

Boodskappe van bekommerde mense

Gedurende die dag het ek die volgende twee boodskappe per Whatsapp gekry:

“Evening everyone. Some of you may have already seen a video doing the rounds about an art exhibition of a matric student at Grantleigh that is very blasphemous. This is a serious concern, and is being dealt with. As the ministers fraternal in richards bay we will be meeting with the headmaster and management of the school to hear all the facts and discuss the way forward. I ask that we not sensationalize this. Let’s pray for the school and ask God for Wisdom 2.0 to deal with it well. Lv. Brent”

En ook:

“Morning all. I have taken this matter up directly with the school and through my brother who is a senior principal of Curro schools. He has been in direct contact with their National CEO and the matter is currently being dealt with.

The school is Christian and their values are aligned with scripture. The matter involves the art teacher and 1 pupil. How this presentation was ever allowed is another matter, but there will be disciplinary action. It has also been reported in The Citizen.

Church, we need to be awake!!! Sent as received in connection with the video about the satanistic art with torn pieces of the bible. It was sent anonymously. But it seems that some steps are taken about it. Please keep praying.”

Selfs die hoofseun van 2011, Sinjon Moffett, het ʼn verklaring geskryf (kyk heel onder).

Hoe reageer ʼn mens daarop?

Motivering van die kunstenaar

Die argumente wat aangevoer word om die kunstenaar te verdedig grens aan die belaglike. Gaan kyk weer na daardie prentjies en sê met oortuiging dat die kunstenaar bloot probeer wys het dat mense leeg geword het omdat hulle spiritualiteit met materialisme vervang het. Dit is net bloot nie waar nie – dit is uit en uit satanies en godslasterlik!

Sinjon Moffett (hoofseun van 2011) het die volgende daarop gesê: “If that was the motive of the student then it seems strange that hundreds of Christians were instantly offended by the imagery. If it was a pro-faith message then it was at the expense of the image of the Christian faith’s figurehead, Jesus Christ. Knowing that was the motive would not change my response. It doesn’t remove the defacing and violence portrayed.”

Ek is hoegenaamd nie ʼn kenner oor satanisme nie, maar ek sal glad nie verbaas wees as die kunstenaar baie diep in satanisme betrokke is nie.

Phil Botha (1934-1997), ʼn Suid-Afrikaner was op ʼn stadium die hoëpriester van Satan in die wêreld. Hy het egter tot bekering gekom. Sy getuienis word weergegee in die boek “Magus Thor’rauna – Hoëpriester van Satan in Suid-Afrika”. Hierin vertel hy die volgende (Thor’rauna was sy geestelike gids (“spirit guide”) en Opperheerser van alle Tempels en Heiligdomme in die hele Afrika en Amerika):

Vanaf daardie dag het Thor’rauna beheer oor my liggaam geneem en dit tot sy eie voordeel gebruik. Hy het honderde selfportrette en skilderye van ander bose geeste wat soos hy gelyk het, gemaak. Dit is dan na ander mense en verskeie Heiligdomme in Suid-Afrika gestuur. Binne drie maande het hy meer as 500 skilderye gemaak en versprei deur my liggaam te gebruik, en ons het allerhande ongewone leerstellings verkondig wat ek nie eens geweet het bestaan nie.

…

Alhoewel Thor’auna twaalf ure van my lewe per dag geëis het, het hy nie noodwendig elke dag my liggaam gebruik nie. Soms sou weke verbygaan sonder dat hy my gebruik en dan sou hy my weer maande lank elke dag gebruik. Ek moet egter erken dat hy nooit teen my wil van my besit geneem het nie en dat ek my elke keer aan hom moes oorgee voordat hy my liggaam kon inneem.

Soms was dit vir hom nodig om totale beheer te neem sodat hy met my regterhand kon skilder en ek kon lees terwyl ek „n boek in my linkerhand vashou. Dit was nie vir my nodig om na die doek te kyk nie, omdat hy self die skildery gemaak het. Dit is soortgelyk aan outomatiese skrif. Besoekers was altyd geamuseerd en het dopgehou in watter fyn detail ek skilder, terwyl ons in „n diep gesprek verkeer en ek nie eens een keer op die doek gekyk het nie.

Of ʼn bose gees self hierdie geskilder het, is ek nie seker van nie, maar ek is redelik seker waar die kunstenaar sy inspirasie gekry het.

Totale Grantleigh bestuursfaling

Ons het hier te doen met ʼn totale bestuursfaling. Dit raak maklik om in te sien as jy die vraag vra: Hoe sou die skool se bestuur dit hanteer het as die leerling skilderye gemaak het van eksplisiete seks-/naaktonele (met een of ander dieper boodskap)?

• Die kunsonderwyser sou vinnig vir die leerder gesê het dat dit ontoelaatbaar is en dit sou daar gestop het, selfs sonder die wete van die hoof of ander personeel.
• Indien die kunsonderwyser getwyfel het daaroor sou hy/sy dit met die hoof gaan bespreek het en sou die hoof ʼn stokkie daarvoor gesteek het.
• Indien die kunsonderwyser nie gedink het daar is iets fout daarmee nie en die hoof nie ingelig het daaroor nie, sou die hoof en ander onderwysers wel daarvan uitgevind het voor die prysuitdeling en dit gestop het. Hierdie kuns sou nie beloon word tydens die prysuitdeling nie.
• Indien nié die hoof óf die onderwysers kapsie gemaak het nie en voortgegaan het om hierdie naakte tonele uit te stal en te beloon tydens die prysuitdeling, sou daar waarskynlik baie ouers gewees het wat kapsie sou maak en sou die kunswerke baie vinnig verwyder word.

Hierdie sataniese kunswerke is nie oornag gedoen nie – die kunsonderwyser moes al maande hiervan geweet het en tog het dit regdeur die stelsel gegaan en is dit nie by een van hierdie punte gekeer nie.

En dan eindig dit nie hier nie. Veronderstel naakte kunswerke het vir een of ander rede tot op hierdie punt gevorder, moes die hoof teen hierdie tyd besef het dat hy ʼn baie growwe oordeelsfout begaan het en vir die publiek omverskoning gevra het. Instede reik hy die verklaring hierbo uit. Iets hieroor:

Wat bedoel hulle met: “…we reserve our rights in this regard”? Beteken dit hulle het die reg om hierdie tipe skilderye uit te stal?

In die laaste paragraaf sê hulle: “…we do not condone cyber bullying, religious intolerance, hate speech, derogatory language, misrepresentation and comments reflecting negatively on our brand on any social media pages.”

Hierdie sin is duidelik gemik op die publiek wat hulle skok en misnoeë oor hierdie aangeleentheid uitspreek het. Dit is ook duidelik dat hulle nie dink dat hulle gefouteer het nie. Die woord “religious intolerance” word ook gebruik. ʼn Mens lei dus af hulle verwag dat Christene verdraagsaam moet wees teenoor die leerder se geloof, naamlik satanisme.

Op Youtube sê Gary Stone: “This is terrible. I think the Principal needs to take responsibility.”

Donald Guy antwoord soos volg: “He did already by having it displayed – He has shown an open mindedness that will write his name into Zululand history.”

Bediening van leerling

Dit is baie duidelik dat hierdie leerling op ʼn vernietigende pad is. Hoeveel onderwysers het hiervan geweet? Was daar onderwysers wat moeite probeer doen het om met hierdie leerder te praat oor wat in sy gedagtes aangaan? Dit is bloot ʼn vraag. Miskien is dit gedoen of selfs besig daarmee.

Optrede van die ouer

Het die ouer reg opgetree? Moes hy nie die saak persoonlik opgeneem het met die skool se leiers nie? Moontlik. Ek dink egter hy het dit heelwaarskynlik so publiek gedoen omdat hy (selfs onbewustelik) geweet het hoe groot die bestuursfaling by Grantleigh was. Iets drasties moes gedoen word.

Ek is egter bly dat hy gedoen het wat hy gedoen het. Dit het my weer laat selfondersoek doen. Sou ek ook moeite gedoen het om hierdie gruwelikheid met soveel passie aan te vat? Ek hoop dit laat Christene reg oor die wêreld nadink. Wat hy gedoen het herinner aan Heidi Mund. Dit is tyd dat meer mense so opstaan.

Hierdie moes nooit gebeur het by ʼn skool wat hulleself uitgee as ʼn skool waar God eerste gestel word nie.

Mag God Grantleigh genadig wees!

Mag elke Christen hieruit leer.

Bronne

• VIDEO: Top KZN private school in ‘satanic drawings’ outcry
• WATCH: Parent protests over Grantleigh school’s ‘satanic’ artwork

Bylae

Open Letter to Grantleigh from the headboy of 2011

The following letter was submitted to SAPeople by former headboy, Sinjon Moffett:

Dear Grantleigh Staff, particularly Mr. Andrew Norris,

I, alongside many South Africans, have recently been witness to the artwork prepared by one of your current Grade 12 learners that formed part of the year-end exhibition. I have also been following the widespread upheaval in reaction to this display.

Furthermore, I have seen the school’s official preliminary response. I believe it is my responsibility as a past-pupil and a representative of the Christian faith to voice my deep disappointment over this matter. Before I do so, I would like to point out the following:

• The fact that the artwork formed part of the students ‘IEB Final Submission’ in no way removes the responsibility that Grantleigh bears for the final product. All accolades achieved by learners within Grantleigh are claimed as a result of the excellent education offered by the institution. And rightly so. Learners are truly only as good as the opportunity’s and care they are given. However, this means that Grantleigh assumes full responsibility for this learners artwork, as was established when the learner was rewarded and commended publicly by the school.
• ‘Freedom of expression’ is unfortunately not a viable justification. You should make no attempt to pretend that Grantleigh allows students to express their unbridled personal opinions and beliefs. This is simply not true, and I say this to your absolute credit. I was witness to a number of students during my time in Grantleigh who expressed racist and homophobic viewpoints, who were instantly shutdown and disciplined by staff. And rightly so. The school and all of its staff are actively involved in moulding the minds of their learners to develop an open and compassionate worldview.
• The artistic technique used by the student is clearly exceptional. Besides the fact that a number of their pieces carry plagiaristic similarity to other international artist’s works, it is clear to see that they are an extremely talented individual. However, the first lesson of contemporary art is that it is the message, not the method, that carries importance. Any art teacher or enthusiast will attest to this, as this has been the general understanding of art since around the time of Duchamp. This removes the prospect for any explanation that the learner’s art was skilfully executed and therefore respectable.
• Children are impressionable. I am not referring to the young adults occupying Grades 8 through 12. I am referring to the little children, as young as 5 years old, who have free access to the school hall and therefore these artworks. Disregarding the religious controversy that the artworks present, they are objectively violent and graphic in nature. Surely the public display of these works within a sheltered school environment is deeply irresponsible and a complete oversight on behalf of the staff body. A school should be where dreams are inspired, not nightmares.

I am well aware that the learner who created these artworks is perhaps revelling in the amount of attention their work is currently receiving. I am also aware that you perhaps consider this situation to be a statement on the school’s behalf to disassociate yourselves with the Christian ethos rooted in the school’s history. With all this in mind, I have one question I would like to pose to you:

Why was it deemed appropriate to publicly deface, misrepresent and mock the figure who many within the Grantleigh family, as well as millions of people globally, worship as their God?

The simple truth is that if this was attempted with any other religion, Grantleigh would (hopefully) never have permitted it. If the learner had made an artwork that encourages racism, Grantleigh would (hopefully) never have permitted it. If the learner had made an artwork containing bigoted slurs against the LGBTQ community, Grantleigh would (hopefully) never have permitted it. I say this with such confidence because I know that Grantleigh does not allow their learners to be hateful, disrespectful, or prejudiced toward any group of people, but to rather be respectful and loving of all races, cultures and religions. This is what Jesus himself preached, what Jesus himself displayed, and what Jesus himself still inspires within people today. I am deeply disappointed to see that it is Jesus who has been belittled under the flag of the school that claims to embody a Christ-inspired ethos.

Grantleigh, you are responsible for this iniquity against all the people who follow Jesus, and against God himself. I hope that you are humble enough and wise enough to accept this responsibility, ask for forgiveness, and disassociate yourselves with the artworks and the artist.

With love, as a proud Grantleigh alumnus,

Sinjon Moffett

22.10.2019