Florida Principal Out After Viewing Of Michelangelo's 'David' Upsets Parents

Sailorsaint said
That's an awfully slippery slope. If said parent doesn't want their child to view a particular piece of art, but the other parents approve of it, what is that parent to do? Keep their child out of school for that day? That's not fair to that child. And I'm betting that the parent will not want to do that and will complain.

That's exactly what the parent would have to do and if they don't like it, then too bad. What's slippery is allowing the teacher or school to decide what is appropriate without notifying the parents.

Eventually, there are enough parents to force a change in curriculum. The other parents don't like this, but their concerns about their child missing out on the curriculum don't matter. Now, the children are getting less of an education because one parent thought that the statue of David was pornagraphic. If you think this is preposterous, I think you can find this happening all across the nation right now. We aren't that far from having public book burnings.

This is a bit of fear-mongering. If "enough parents" have an issue with the curriculum, then we need to consider that there may actually be a problem with the curriculum. However, that is not the issue in this case. The school board didn't have an issue with the curriculum. They had an issue with how the principal handled it.

It's a tough question, right? Where do we draw the line in public schools? I know we need to take parents' concerns in consideration. I wouldn't want my child to view photos from Penthouse in school. But a classical statue that contributes to history is another matter altogether.

I don't think it's tough at all. You notify parents if you are dealing with anything that would be construed as sexual in nature. If you're going to be showing genitalia, sex acts or suggestive sexual acts, you notify parents. If they have an issue with it then they bring it up with the teacher. The teacher should be prepared to make accommodations for that student, such as sitting in with another class or having an excused absence.

My part in this conversation really began when I felt that the principal shouldn't have been fired over this. Yes, they didn't follow the rules. But, it wasn't willful, it was an administrative mistake. Reprimand them, send them home without pay for a week. But, because of a parent complaining, they were fired. What if the majority of the parents liked the way the principal was running the school? They don't get a say? Nope, check my first paragraph. The loudest squeak gets the oil.

Someone did an interview with the school board member & he stated that this wasn't the only issue with her. He eluded that there were ongoing issues that she was well aware of, despite her saying that she had no idea. Here is the full interview:
https://slate.com/human-interest/2023/03/florida-principal-fired-michelangelo-david-statue.html