The morning of Jan. 6, 2022, the large buffalo skull on the front lawn of Charles M. Russell High School was vandalized. 

The skull was given as a year-long gift to CMR by artist Benji Daniels, it is 24 feet wide and weighs approximately 4,200 pounds. Currently, the $160,000 piece is being covered with tarps to hide foul language from the student body. 

“I know the actions of one individual do not represent a school, but the individual has to understand that the repercussions of their actions are grossly irresponsible, and will not go unpunished,” student body president Brady Kelly said. 

Vice president Paige LePard said, “We were gifted the artwork for the year, and someone vandalized it when it’s not even our property.”

The supervisor of the fine arts department for Great Falls Public Schools, Dusty Molyneaux, is “disappointed in this poor decision made by this individual,” but counters that statement with a positive.

“The cool thing about all this is the reaction from the student body,” Molyneaux said. “I’m glad there is pride and attatchment.”

Secretary and treasurer Robin Blair voices that “it’s disrespectful to do this on our property, but also on the artist’s art.”

Kelly adds that “our community is better than this.” 

The morning of Jan. 7, 2022, Rustlers discovered more vandalism on the concrete skull at the entrance of the main student parking lot.