Religious-themed designs banned from White House Easter egg art contest

Children of the National Guard are prohibited from submitting religious Easter egg designs for the 2024 "Celebrating National Guard Families" art event at the White House. 

The art contest is part of the White House’s Easter traditions, which include the annual Easter Egg Roll. The flyer for the contest states that an Easter egg design submission "must not include any questionable content, religious symbols, overtly religious themes, or partisan political statements." 

"As part of the White House Easter traditions, America’s Egg Farmers – for nearly 50 years – have proudly presented an intricately decorated Commemorative Easter Egg to the First Lady of the United States. In 2021, the White House expanded on this longstanding tradition by displaying youth-designed Easter eggs in the White House East Colonnade," the flyer explains.

"On behalf of First Lady Jill Biden, The Adjutants General of the National Guard are asking youth from National Guard families across the United States and all U.S. territories to submit artwork inspired by the theme ‘Celebrating our Military Families,’" the flyer continues.

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Children are asked to design eggs with images based on their own lives. "Selected designs representing the unique experience and stories of National Guard children will be brought to life on real hen eggs by talented egg artists from across the country and displayed at the White House this Easter and Passover season," the flyer says.

Children also can't promote material that promotes "bigotry, racism, hatred or harm against any group or individual or promotes discrimination based on race, gender, religion, nationality, disability, sexual orientation or age" in their designs. 

Selected designs will be painted by artists on real eggs and displayed at the White House.

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The White House announced Thursday that the annual Easter Egg Roll would follow an "EGGucation" theme as it has in years past. 

"A teacher for more than 30 years, First Lady Jill Biden is continuing her theme of 'EGGucation' for the event, transforming the South Lawn and Ellipse into a school community, full of fun educational activities for children of all ages to enjoy," a statement from the White House read. An estimated 40,000 people are expected to take part in Monday's annual event. 

In addition to the egg roll and Easter egg hunt, the event will also include a Physical "EGGucation" (PE) Zone, a School House Activity Area, Reading Nook, Field Trip to the Farm, Picture Day and a snack tent. Children's entertainment, including "educational acts and performances," will be shown on a "School House stage" on the South Lawn.