Despite child molestation accusations, L.A. Unified restores school auditorium sign in honor of Michael Jackson. A good idea?

Michael Jackson was a musical icon. He also was a man dogged by accusations of inappropriate relationships with children.

In 2003, after Jackson's arrest on suspicion of child molestation, L.A. school officials covered over a sign with his name on it at the Michael Jackson Auditorium at Gardner Street School in Hollywood. Jackson was ultimately acquitted, and after his death last year, fans urged the L.A. school system to uncover the sign.

Los Angeles Unified School District Supt. Ramon C. Cortines ordered the boards stripped away Friday "in recognition of Michael Jackson's musical legacy and contribution to modern culture."

A school district spokesman told The Times' Kate Linthicum the decision was made in large part because Jackson had been acquitted of criminal charges in the molestation case. (In 1993, a 13-year-old boy filed a civil suit accusing Jackson of sexual molestation. The pop singer, while declaring his innocence, eventually settled the lawsuit for an undisclosed sum that sources say was at least $15 million.)

On Friday night, a Facebook page calling for the restoration of the sign was overflowing with joyous comments.

"I could cry!!" one person wrote. "I wish he were here to see this!!"

Jackson was briefly enrolled at Gardner Street Elementary. In 1969, he and his family moved to Los Angeles from Gary, Ind., so that Jackson and his brothers could make a record with Motown.

What do you think about L.A. Unified's decision to restore the sign? Share your thoughts below.

Photo: Michael Jackson. Credit: Los Angeles Times

Comments

[Debrah Bain]

If Michael was obsessed with children in a non-sexual way, does this fall in the cryteria of pedo, but not phile. I love him, but felt uncomfortable when he spoke too often about children,infact he never shut up about them. But I know he would never hurt a child in that way. Sometimes I wonder weather Michael was boardering in the autistic spectrum as he could not see consequences for his own actions.

[Tom]

Sorry I hit post before I proof read......We need to focus on getting the message out about his philanthropy and environmental concerns (long before it was fashionable) because that is a big part of his legacy - it's not just the music.

[Adriant]

Thank God that MJ is being vindicated. He was an angel walking this earthm and he deserves to be recognized for his music and pop culture contributions and humanitarian efforts.

Your fans will continue to spread your message of peace and love.

RIP, MJ

L.O.V.E

[Ms. Smith]

Yes it's a good idea and it's about time! I am so happy and proud that this day has finally come! Michael Jackson will always be known for his innovation in dance, music video, also for his humanitarian and environmental work no matter how many times the media cut and paste "false accusations".

Anyone who as actually read the transcripts from the trial can see that Michael Jackson was innocent and those accusations remain just that, false accusations. So why shouldn't Michael Jackson, who was an innocent man have his name remain on the school? If the FBI, LAPD and not even the media could find a shred of "credible evidence" for these false accusations then it is time to let that go and report on all the amazing creative and humanitarian work Michael Jackson accomplished during his life.

Thank you.

[Adriant]

Even now the media is trying to stir up contraversy over MJ.

The title of this article should read, "Because of Michael Jackson's acquittal,School Restores His Name on Auditorium." In America, the law reads, "innocent until proven guilty". Therefore, if the jury's verdict was "Not Guilty," it automatically means that MJ was innocent. Accusations mean nothing if they are unsubstantiated.

I love MJ. Thank God people are starting to realize his inspiring contributions to the world.

[Andy K]

For all you not guilty fanatics, he paid off the kids so they couldn't testify. He made a three dollar bill look legit

[Lisa]

Forgot the fact that he may or may not have been a pedophile -- he was a drug addict whose enormous talent and wealth allowed him to engage in illegal activity that eventually led to his death.

Is that a life for kids to aspire to?

[Deanna]

I'm so happy to see that his name has finally been UNCOVERED after 7 years !! <3 It shouldn't have even been covered up in the first place ! Michael was found not guilty, he never did anything wrong . #MJfam is extremely large, we are worldwide ! We are strong, and will keep on making Michael proud . Note that this is only the beginning : )

[Elise]

I agree with uncovering Michael Jackson's name on the school's auditorium. In 2005, he was found not guilty on all 10 charges against him. In legal terms, this means that he is innocent.

On a second point, the 1993 case wasn't in fact settled by Michael Jackson himself, but his insurance company. Insurance companies have a contractual obligation to protect the insuree at all costs even against their protests. This is the exact situation of what happened here. And I quote from the official memorandum document: "Because insurance companies were the source of the settlement amounts, and the insurance companies make the payments based on their contractual rights to settle the proceeding without Mr. Jackson's permission, the settlement does not constitute an admission and cannot be used to create such an impermissable inference to the jury. Introduction of the document would be improper because the settlement payment from a third party with the contractual right to make the settlement regardless of Mr. Jackson's wishes is irrelevant to any issue of this proceeding."

This document can freely be read online and proves that Michael Jackson did not settle, his insurance company did. Michael Jackson protested, but they settled against his will because legally they can do that.

I agree with uncovering the sign because Michael Jackson was found not guilty in a court of a law, and as such should be treated as an innocent man. Add to this his musical and cultural legacy, and humanitarianism, which includes charitable donations to the school he attended, he deserves to have his name displayed on the auditorium.

[Angela]

As a longtime MJ fan I don't think that this was a good idea because it's just going to open up a can of worms with people and their complaints. Not only that, but that auditorium will be the focal point of lots of jokes.

[Jewel M]

I don't claim to know the amount of money MJ gifted to this school, but I will assume it was substantial...just like all his charitable contributions. But I do notice that this article does not mention THAT. That is not newsworthy! The uncovering of this sign at a school - while it might be a first good step, does not in any way make up for the grave unjustice that has been done.

[gggg]

trying to imply he's guilty by reporting about the 'settlement' again without further details which shows his complete innocence? clever!

[Arial]

MJ deserves to be respected by our society cause he is a legend. He is a perfect role model for today's society caus ehe preached equality, he said to respect other people an draces, he donated to various charities, he talked about environemnt issues... Honestly i cant think of any other start who has contributed so much to the society... JOHN DOE i dont know why y r so confident that he was a bad man... i guess you should check the facts & then judge people.. MJ is a great role model & i have learnt so much from him as a fan. Please people dont judge a person who cant defend himself..... If he was really a bad person the whole world would not be crying for him... People love him caus ethey know he was innocent & framed by media .... i guess if you think critically y will get it what i mean... God bless him & clear his name from this pathetic false accusation which took the life of the most beautiful person who has visited this worl.... I LOVE YOU MJ SINCE 1989 & nothing can change that feeling .........

[peter m graf]

How idiotic! And I thought LA Unified had real problems ... They seem to have too much time on their hands.

[Beverly]

I think its wonderful for he was a great enterainer and a visionary. He accomplished through his music and dance with his ability to see his greatest works, and because of him you can see all the artistic musicians,singers and dancers on DVDS. He was a genius. He was loved all over the world.
The world lost the greatest enterainer that will ever be.Know one wiil every fill his shoes. You should be proud of the MICHAEL JACKSON AUDITORIUM.
I was one out of many thousands who signed that Pitition
I thnak You from the bottom of my heart you all saw the light,God Bless ITS ALL FOR LOVE MJ.

[Jacqueline]

Why now?
Why this is not done when Michael is alive?
Why no one supported Michael?
Why is it that those who are always ignorant of Michael's good deeds, only after his death, the truth be known.
Hypocrites...

[marie paul]

I think this heading is just continuing along the same old lines that is presuming Michael might be guilty when he has been found not guilty. Don't you believe in you justice system

[DudsASaint]

I can't believe you dont'have a post office or an airport named after O.J. SIMPSON They were both loved by all and were found not guilty in your wonderfull court system.

[Sam J]

Just how much did the Jackson family fork over for this little bit of obscenity?

[Inland Empire]

MJ was found innocent but it happened more than once. I am sure his fans want this. Most people don't.

[Elmira]

Anyone who bothers to research the 1993 case and the 2005 case will find the truth, which is that Michael Jackson never committed such heinous acts against children. Read the book "Redemption" by Geraldine Hughes and "Conspiracy" by Aphdrodite Jones, to know what really happened. Michael Jackson helped sick children, dying children by paying for a much needed liver transplantation, their chemotherapy, or just enjoying a fun-filled day of wonderment at Neverland. Watch the videos of William Wagener, and the videos of Thomas Mesereau. Watch the "Untold Story of Neverland" by Larry Nimmer. Educate yourself and learn the truth about Michael Jackson, or stay in the dark and blindly believe the lies the media ( tabloid and otherwise) want you to believe and ask yourself: what was their motive to twist the facts presented in court in 2005 ? Is there a lot of money to be made on good, positive news or much, much more money with bad news and innuendo ? Just don't stay ignorant. Read the facts, read the evidence and it will be clear as day that Michael Jackson was totally innocent!

[Raven Woods]

And what is the purpose of this headline? The decision made by Gardner school and the LA county school board was, I am quite sure, made only after a very careful and thoughtful weighing of all the facts and considerations on both sides of the fence. They weighed the facts vs. rumor and unnuendo. They weighed MJ's legacy and positive contributions to society vs. a few flaws he may have had in his personal life. I should remind you all that even presidents, world political leaders and the world' biggest humanitarians have human flaws because none of them are God. At the time the auditorium was dedicated, in 1989, Michael Jackson was the biggest superstar in the world. But he was also the world's most humanitarian celebrity. Nothing changed except somewhere along the way, an extortionist and a grifter family looking for a handout to save their dying son (who is still alive today thanks to Michael Jackson) decided to repay him by making him a target. The mother of that boy was convicted of welfare fraud. It was also proven that in an earlier case filed against JC Penney (where little angel Gavin was caught shoplifting) that she enrolled her kids in an acting school so they would "get their stories straight." As for the Chandler case, Evan Chandler drugged his own son and years later attempted murder. This family had six years to file a criminal complaint. They never did so. They only wanted money. And of course, once that can of worms was opened, MJ became the target for every bogus, would-be "accuser" out there, which expalins most of the so called "phantom victims" whose stories were thrown out because they had no merit. These are the kind of people who brought these allegations against Michael Jackson and ruined his life. And anyone who would sit by and allow one of the world's most gentle-spirited, loving humantitarians to be treated the way he has, while upholding these miserable, lowlife, white trash con artists who brought these allegations against him-shame on you. I have to ask: WHY do you uphold these people? For what purpose? Over the years, we certainly got to know a lot more about who Michael Jackson was than we did these people. No one knew who these people were; no one bothered to find out what their characters were, their motivations, or anything about them. Yet they were so quick on the trigger to believe them. Why? If a pastor in your hometown or someone who has been known all of his life for doing good things for the communiuty was suddenly accused of heinous acts by the new lowlifes in town who just moved into the low rent housing project, by instinct alone, who would you believe before weighing the evidence? I would hope you would at the very least give the accused the benefit of the doubt first! But Michael Jackson was never afforded this courtesy. Not by the media, nor by the public. And even now, it continues.

I'm putting this out here as food for thought for all of you making negative comments about this decision. And LA Now, you really should consider changing that is misleading headline that is untrue and serving no purpose except to excite controversy. The decision has been made, and it was made by men and women who examined the facts, looked into their hearts, and made the right decision.

[Kimberly]

First I would like to say that I'm happy that Michael Jackson's name will once again shine brightly on the school auditorium. This has been a long time coming. Thank you to all of the people who bothered to do research into what happened with both the 1993 and 2005 cases. I'm not going to repeat the facts as they have been posted here many times over. For those people who have not bothered to do your research, who write negative comments or speak half-truths, I feel very sorry for your souls. The only thing Michael Jackson was guilty of is trusting those who eventually betrayed him for the sake of greed and money. Of course Michael Jackson was a human being and has flaws, but don’t we all. We as a society have become quick to judge others, especially those in the celebrity spotlight. We have a habit of building people up, putting them on pedestals and then tearing them down. We as a society are consumed by tabloid fodder, including magazines and television shows that shine the spotlight on the tragedies of others. For those who finally speak the truth about Michael Jackson, such as Charles Thomson, Aphrodite Jones and Geraldine Hughes, I commend you. For those who have not done your research, like others here, I suggest you read the books and/or articles of the above mentioned people as well as look into the facts related to the cases. Some of the facts are included from actual transcripts. Like many here have stated, if you bother to do the proper research, you will see that Michael Jackson was targeted and was never given a chance to move on with his life without judgment, although he was proven to be "NOT GUILTY" on ALL charges. So again, I pray for your souls. I pray that you will wake up some day and see the light. I’m sorry to say this, but it appears that you are closed minded and judgmental. I don’t like to speak negatively; however, I’m starting to really get tired of these sweeping statements that are being made without facts to back them up. I see the media, the system and societal conditioning has been successful. I'm sorry to see that. On the positive side, I see more people (and I see many here) who have realized the injustice served to Michael Jackson and there are many; including myself, who are working to vindicate Michael Jackson as well as defend, protect and preserve his legacy. Michael Jackson deserves this and more. Also, I concur about the title to this article. Once again, sensationalism and innuendo are being used to sell the story. Michael Jackson was a victim of this when he was alive and it appears that he still is after his passing; however, the truth will prevail. As Michael stated "Lies runs sprints, Truth runs marathons". He is so right. Marathon, here we come!!!!!

[Casper07MJ]

Yes, Yes, Yes!! This was a excellent idea! I for one am elated that it has finally happened, the wheels of justice are definitely moving in the right direction for #justice4MJ. Michael didn't deserve the slander and scrutiny that he endured during his life and certainly doesn't deserve it now. The media successfully succeeded in manipulating and brainwashing many of the public viewers into believing MJ was/is guilty, however I advise you all to research for yourselves and you will find the truth that Michael Jackson is, was, and always has been INNOCENT! I am an advocate fighter for MJ and always will be. I love u Michael, with all that I am.

All MJ haters should really rethink the grounds and basis on which their hate for him was founded upon and ask yourselves, "Do I have a substantial and valid reason to hate Michael Jackson that I concluded by means of my own findings or was I spoon fed half truths and opinionated fiction which implies that my conclusion is actually not my own?"

[LORI]

YAY I went to Gardner Elentary when the sign was uncovered and we had pictures of Michael all over the school! I am so happy they've finally uncover his name! I've waited years and even sent a letter to get the Michael Jackson Auditorium sign back! HURRAY!!!