Michelangelo’s “David” – Courtesy: Shutterstock – Image by Davide Trolli
Every year, sixth-graders at Tallahassee Classical School are taught about and shown a photograph of Michelangelo’s “David” statue, but this month, something went horribly wrong, leading to a letter of apology to parents, an urgent meeting of the school board, and the resignation of a principal.
Even the Italian museum that houses David took note of the situation on Monday. The Galleria dell’Accademia’s director, Cecilie Hollberg, told the Associated Press that she was shocked by the uproar and invited the school board, principal, parents, and student body to come see the statue’s “purity” in person.
The mayor of Florence, Italy, Dario Nardella, also said on Twitter that he personally invites the fired Florida teacher to the city to be honored and that anyone who teaches such art deserves recognition.
After sixth-grade art history students learned about the Renaissance, a fight broke out in the K-12 charter school in Leon County, Florida. The lecture also featured images of the paintings “The Creation of Adam” and “Birth of Venus,” in addition to the Michelangelo sculpture.
The fact that parents were not told of the artwork in advance, in contrast to previous years, was at the root of the issue. Tallahassee Classical’s principal for around nine months, Hope Carrasquilla, claimed that the administration had composed an email to parents but mistakenly failed to send it.
“I made the assumption that the letter went out, and I didn’t follow up on it,” she told NPR. “It is my responsibility to make sure these things happen, but honestly we did not have to send out a letter regarding Renaissance art.”
Carrasquilla claims that one father expressly protested about the nudity, comparing it to pornographic material, while another two parents expressed disappointment that they did not receive a letter.
The sixth-grade class’s parents received an apology from the school for the oversight later. Carrasquilla also addressed the art history instructor, who made a crude remark and requested that the pupils keep the lesson from their parents.
Notwithstanding the measures, Barney Bishop III, the school board’s chair, met with Carrasquilla earlier this month and gave her the choice of resigning or being fired without cause. Carrasquilla ultimately made the decision to leave.
“I have always desired good for Tallahassee Classical School. I care deeply for the scholars, faculty, staff, and parents. I am not about promoting myself or a political agenda,” she wrote in a letter to the board last week.
While Carrasquilla speculates that the “David” art history lesson played a factor, she also believed that Bishop had been “unhappy” with her for months, adding that she was not given a precise explanation for the ultimatum.
In a similar vein, Bishop claimed that Carrasquilla’s departure was prompted by a number of issues. He claimed that he didn’t think the principal was in line with the goals and objectives of the school but that he was unable to elaborate further due to legal considerations.
“It’s not the showing of the picture, it’s the process,” Bishop told NPR. “Parents are entitled to decide whether any topic, any subject, any use of particular sensitive words are going to be discussed in the classroom. If they don’t feel that it’s appropriate for the age of their child, they’re entitled to make that decision.”
Control over the school curriculum has been a contentious issue for the past few years in both Florida and across the country. Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation establishing a national “Parents Bill of Rights” on Friday to improve parents’ access to information about their children’s education.
Both a mother and an educator, Carrasquilla asserts that she thinks parents and schools ought to work together, however, she emphasizes that a balance is necessary.
“What doesn’t work is when you have parents who are trying to say, ‘This is your curriculum, this is what you’re supposed to be teaching,’ ” she said.
Bishop believes that one common fallacy is that respecting parental rights will determine what is taught in schools. Against some parents’ protests, he said, the “David” artwork would still be included in the curriculum.
“We’re going to teach it regardless of whether parents are in favor of it or not,” he said. “But if they’re not in favor of it, we’re going to give them an alternative curriculum.”
Cara Wynn, a dean at Tallahassee Classical, was appointed interim headmaster for the remaining months of the academic year last week. Bishop stated that the board would assess her leadership qualities and choose later whether or not to make her the school’s permanent leader.
Carrasquilla stated that she is undecided about her future move in the meantime. She stated her tenure at the school, where she had worked for less than two years, had been cut short and that her hopes for Tallahassee Classical had been destroyed.
“I miss the teachers, the students,” she said. “I felt like I was supposed to be there, like I had a purpose. I love classical education and I want everyone to be taught that way, so I miss that.”
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Melissa’s career in writing started more than 20 years ago. Today, she lives in South Florida with her husband and two boys.
