Everyone Is Welcome Here...
When inclusion triggers outrage, it’s worth asking why.
The other morning, I was at my local mom-and-pop sandwich shop, pouring myself a to-go coffee, when I overheard an older couple talking about education in America. The man—who looked like the human version of Bud the beer can—was ranting about how teachers aren’t educators anymore; they’re “activists.” According to him, everything from history to writing is laced with political bias.
I jotted down “activists, not teachers” in my notes app, knowing it had the makings of a Bud, Nick, and Joe comic.
Later, I googled that phrase. One of the top hits? A story about a teacher being asked to take down a classroom poster that read “Everyone is Welcome Here.” The article is worth a read: link
That hit me hard. The phrase “Everyone is welcome here” seems pretty basic. You’re either for that idea—or you’re not. And if you’re not, the follow-up question has to be: why? The poster shows hands of different skin tones. If that imagery is what offends you, maybe the problem isn’t the poster. Maybe it’s what it reveals about you. That’s a conversation worth having—with yourself.
I suspect the real issue for some people isn’t the poster, but what they think it represents. To them, it’s a gateway to a larger political agenda. Ironically, many of those same critics are the ones pushing to bring their version of God back into schools—not all gods, just theirs.
We can’t move forward as a society if we’re only making space for some and not others. No, I’m not saying classrooms should be plastered with personal political opinions. But “Everyone is welcome here” isn’t political. It’s just decent.
As for the comic’s punchline—“Bud, what were you doing at the elementary school?”—that came later. It cracked me up. Because let’s be honest: it’s often the people preaching the loudest about morality who turn out to be hiding the most.
The comic’s making waves on TikTok. People are picking apart every line, finding meaning I didn’t even put there. But hey, that’s what art does—it starts conversations. And apparently, it’s doing that pretty well.
Take it easy,
James