Taking it to the Streets?

A few days ago I showed my students the work of Banksy, an artist who has made a name for himself first in the UK then globally with his life-size, satirical stencils on public walls. Banksy's real name and identity is still a matter of debate and much of his work is made illegally and in violation of property laws.  As a so-called 'role model' for the young people in my classroom, I wondered if students understood the grey areas involved in the debate over our public spaces, and whether they could see how both sides have valid viewpoints. I was glad to learn that despite the generalizations made about adolescences - that they need concrete explanations and know little of nuance, the students really understood that artists like Banksy are neither heroes nor villains.