Group to present petition against statue at Overland Park Botanical Garden

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. - Concerned Overland Park residents plan to submit a petition to the mayor Tuesday against a statue in the city’s Botanical Gardens.

The statue, called Choice, depicts a female body with exposed breasts taking a picture of herself.

A group of area parents have gathered 2,700 signatures they will submit to Overland Park Mayor Carl Gerlach at a city council meeting Tuesday at 5 p.m.

City officials say attendance is up since the statue arrived a few months ago, but the parents say it has no place in a public place.

"The artist's intent is to say that the digital is removing humanity removing individualism," Overland Park spokesman Sean Reilly said. "And it's saying you should focus on the persons mind not their body."

“I feel like a child is not gonna get the message that the artist intended,” said parent Joanne Hughes. “A child is gonna look at that and think, ‘Oh that's what's okay, that's what a woman is suppose to do.’"

The American Family Association has joined forces with these parents and plans to take legal action on the city if the sculpture isn't removed.

Some people signing the petition say it isn't the nudity that upsets them the most, but the gesture of taking a photo, because of all the concerns with teen texting nude picture of themselves. They believe this just promotes that.

Reilly said the city does not view the piece as obscene. There are no plans for the city council to take action on the sculpture.