Photographer and superintendent address controversial photo of Ohio football players

MARYSVILLE, Ohio (WSYX/WTTE) — The discussion over black lives and blue lives now involves high schoolers wearing blue and red in one central Ohio community. A promotional photo of the Marysville High School football team is leading to controversy after team members held the “thin blue line” flag representing law enforcement in the picture.

Viewers of WSYX/WTTE and others on social media complained about the photo, concerned it was a political statement against the Black Lives Matter movement.

The photo is not the official team photo, but a promotional picture, paid for by a booster group, the Monarch Quarterback Club. Emails to the club were not returned today. In addition to the “thin blue line” flag, team members are holding flags representing other first responders, along with the American and Ohio flags.

The controversy got the attention of the school board at last night’s meeting.

“I think it’s easy to rush to judgement, especially with how polarizing some events are in our society,” said Diane Allen, superintendent of Marysville schools at last night’s meeting.

She called this a teachable moment and said it’s difficult to judge what the intent of the players is.

“Intent can’t always be measured or evaluated in a picture, it’s also important to recognize that a symbol or a flag can mean one thing to you and one thing to the person standing beside you,” she said.

The photographer who took the photo is upset as well. Robin Thompson posted on Facebook, asking, “When did we stop seeing things through a lens of love and just see things through a lens of hate and division?... When did we decide to accuse instead of embrace?”

Thompson said the photo is not meant to be a political statement and that some of the team members have loved ones who serve as first responders.

“It was never meant to promote one group over another. It was meant to say ‘Thank you,’ she wrote. “I am sorry if you could not see the intent. But I assure you, the intent is love.”