Key Points
- Students were shown a picture of Michelangelo's statue of David during a Renaissance art lesson.
- One parent complained the material was pornographic and two others said they wanted to be notified ahead of the lesson.
- Chair of the school’s board said it was protocol for parents to be informed ahead of time when “controversial" topics are being presented.
A Florida middle school principal said she was forced to resign after parents complained that “inappropriate adult content” was shown to students during a Renaissance art lesson.
The content in question was Michelangelo’s iconic statue of David, a 5.17-metre marble sculpture that is widely considered to be a masterpiece of the Renaissance era.
Hope Carrasquilla had held the position of principal at Tallahassee Classical School since June 2021 and has more than twenty years of experience in the education sector.
Local media reported that the school board gave Ms Carrasquilla a choice between being fired or resigning on Monday, following complaints from at least one parent that the sculpture was “pornographic”.
'A series of miscommunications'
In an interview with The Huffington Post, Ms Carrasquilla stated that the issue was “a little more complicated” than it first appeared, indicating that it had more to do with “a series of miscommunications” between parents and the school.
Barnaby Bishop III, chair of the school’s board, told Slate that it was protocol for parents to be informed ahead of time when “controversial topics or subjects” are being presented to the students.
“Parents are the ones who are going to drive the education system here in Florida,” he said. “Parents are entitled to know anytime their child is being taught a controversial topic and picture.”
“This year, we made an egregious mistake. We didn’t send that notice,” Mr Bishop said.
Ms Carrasquilla acknowledged in a letter to the school board that she did not notify parents about the lesson before images of David were shown in class.
The controversy comes amidst a broader debate in the state on education, with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announcing plans to expand the Parental Rights in Education Act, banning public schools from teaching about sexual education and gender identity.
Following the event, social media users pointed out similarities to a Simpsons episode from 1990, where an angry mob of people protested the planned exhibition of Michelangelo’s David.
