Students hope for middle ground in senior parking spot painting tradition

FREDERICK, Md. (FOX 5 DC) -- A tradition of high school seniors painting their school parking spots may be in jeopardy.

A petition is now circulating to allow incoming seniors at Frederick County Public Schools to design and paint their assigned parking spots after the school district suddenly canceled the event.

For now, many of the spots that would be painted over in preparation for the next graduating class' designs still have their old images and designs.

The district raised concerns when the tradition started catching on at other area schools.

"We have been working for a lot of stuff and this is one of the big things we like to do so I thought this year maybe I would get to do it. Turns out I guess not," said Quinten Norberg.

The 17-year-old says he was looking forward to making his carefully thought out, unique design come to life.

The culinary student and incoming senior at Governor Thomas Johnson High School was one of several who paid the extra $50 on top of the cost of a parking permit to participate in the tradition of painting their spot.

But Norberg says that two weeks after submitting an application, he received an email:

Dear Rising Seniors -

We regret to inform you that the "Paint Your Parking Spot" Fundraiser has been canceled due to facilities concerns – anyone who already paid will receive a refund.

Norberg says the school district canceled over damage and environmental concerns.

A petition to allow parking spot painting at all Frederick County Public Schools is now being shared online – and hundreds of people have signed it.

Norberg is hoping they can come to some kind of a solution.

"It never really crossed my mind to think of it that way. I get where they are coming from but at the same time there are better ways to go about this than just canceling the entire thing and ruining it for an entire senior class," Norberg said.

FOX 5 reached out to the school district, but didn't receive a response.

However, they say a decision is expected before the event that was originally scheduled for August.