East Aurora School Board Rethinks 'Controversial' Tomcat Statue

AURORA, IL — A proposed tomcat statue is "not what we thought we would be getting," said an East Aurora District 131 school school board member. The Aurora Beacon-News reports that plans for the statue, which was supposed to be propped up at the entrance to the news stadium, are up in the air.

East Aurora School District board member Ken Darby oversees the committee handling the project. He says officials are still working to clarify options for the statue, which had a $11,000 deposit, the Beacon-News reports. He suggested perhaps the high school's welding class can benefit from the materials that were going to be used, if they can be acquired.

Minutes from an Aug. 2 committee meeting say that Board Member Bruce Schubert pointed out that drawings from a May meeting didn't match what was currently in progress. Board President Annette Johnson echoed, saying she feels it does not look like a tomcat. Others agreed.

The abstract sculpture was supposed to be made of stainless steel and stand four feet tall, in addition to the height of its base. The Beacon-News reports that in August, Johnson called it "controversial." Read more from the Aurora Beacon-News here.

Main image courtesy of East Aurora School District 131. An artist's rendering of the proposed tomcat statue.