James Franco's Mural Painted Over At Palo Alto H.S.

PALO ALTO, CA – In the wake of sexual misconduct allegations, Palo Alto High School Principal Kim Diorio opted this week to remove a mural featuring alumnus James Franco at the campus' Student Center, according to the school's publication, The Paly Voice.

Franco, 39 and a Palo Alto native, grew up in the Silicon Valley area and graduated from Palo Alto High in 1996.

Diorio said in a Paly Voice interview earlier this week "that she is struggling to determine the future of the Golden-Globe winner’s artistic contributions to the campus."

The principal decided to have workers paint over a mural on the school’s Student Center, while leaving the paintings inside the Media Arts Center untouched, the publication said.

“I made the decision we’ll take down the mural on the Student Center because I think that’s the one that’s most visible to the outside community,” Diorio said in the interview. “These are still allegations ... I can’t even say it [the decision to replace the mural] is based on fact because he’s denied those allegations and hasn’t been charged with a crime.”

Just days after accepting a Golden Globe award for best actor in January, Franco faced a tide of allegations that he used his fame and prestige to sexually exploit young actresses at his North Hollywood acting school.

Five actresses told the Los Angeles Times last month that Franco used the school and promises of work to pressure them to take off their clothes or engage in sex acts. Often, the pressure occurred onset during filming, they said.

One actress said he exposed himself and pressured her to give him oral sex during a discussion about her script. Two others said that during an orgy scene with naked actresses, he removed the protective coverings for their vaginas while simulating oral sex.

Through his attorney, Franco denied the latest allegations. A spokesman for the now defunct school said the allegations are being investigated.

Franco, who first became famous for his role in TV's "Freaks and Geeks," made a name for himself as an artist unafraid of taking risks with roles in "Milk" and most recently in the HBO drama "The Deuce." He won a Golden Globe last month for "Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy" for his portrayal of Tommy Wiseau in the movie "This Disaster Artist."

Read the entire Paly Voice article here.

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--Paige Austin, Patch, contributed to this report/File Photo by: Galaxy/STAR MAX/IPx 2018 1/7/18 James Franco at the 75th Annual Golden Globe Awards. (Beverly Hills, CA)