Architect Forced To Remove Crosses From School

Architect to remove ‘crosses’ from TPS elementary school: foxtoledo.com

TOLEDO, Ohio - An architect is removing a design element from a new elementary school that looked liked the Christian cross.

"I actually have not noticed a cross," said Mona-Mae Mitchell. "Is that a light pole?"

Some have never noticed the design at the Toledo Public Schools' new Beverly Elementary School construction site at the corner of Glanzman Road and Detroit Avenue, the former location of old Bowsher High School.

Others say the designs look like Christian crosses.

A photo shared on FOX Toledo News media partner's Toledo Free Press Facebook page on Jan. 23 by David Eichenberg showed what appeared to be a cross design on the exterior gymnasium walls of the new Beverly Elementary that is under construction.

MORE: Architect to remove ‘crosses’ from TPS elementary school (Toledo Free Press)

James Gant, chief business manager for TPS, told Toledo Free Press during a telephone interview that the cross design was not part of the original plans, and that the design was to have been what could be described as a plus sign.

"As soon as we found out there were issues we got a copy of the plan design and talked to the architect about it, it was not the intent of the plan at all."

"I was also surprised to be honest with you that these looked like crosses," Gant added. "I appreciate the concern that was brought up and it does look that way and we need to be careful about that process of what we're doing. It's a legitimate concern, and it was not the intended design."

The architect on this project is going to change the alleged cross designs sometime in the spring at no cost to the school district, Gant said.

Read More: http://www.foxtoledo.com/dpp/news/local/Architect-to-remove--crosses--from-TPS-elementary-school