Texas Art Teacher Fired for Taking Children to an Art Museum?
Parent Complains that Fifth Grade Student was Exposed to Nudity in Artwork
At what age does it become appropriate for children to see a naked human body as part of a work of art? And, does it matter what form the art is in?
Earlier this week, a veteran Texas art teacher was suspended and told her contract would not be renewed at the end of the school year. She claims it was because of a parent's complaint regarding artwork a fifth grade child saw while visiting the Dallas Museum of Art.
Officials for the school district claim the teacher was reprimanded by the principal several times since the April museum outing for things like improperly prepared lesson plans, but the teacher said she never had any trouble, or reprimands, until the complaint about the art field trip.
So, back to the original question. At what age is it appropriate for a child to observe statues or paintings that depict the naked human body? And, is it different if the artwork is more absolutely like real like a photograph?
In other cultures, this question can become even more extreme or not an issue at all. Fountains in gardens, frescoes in churches and statues throughout Europe depict everything from cherubs and Roman goddesses in the nude. Granted, these depictions often do not include full-frontal nudity and are not always specifically anatomically correct, but should we be shrouding 10 or 11-year-olds from the reality of the human form?
What I'd really like to know from someone who actually heard the parent's complaint is, Does this parent allow their child to see supermodels in runway clothing? Does the child watch television? What type of artwork is appropriate for children and when do we introduce them to the concept of the nudity?
Recently, I interviewed a forensics interviewer for a local child advocacy center. She told me that when she goes into junior high schools to educate children about dating, date rape and decision-making about their own sexuality, it is often too late! If it's too late by the time they hit 13-years-old, when is it appropriate?
I have to believe that this school board is over-reacting, possibly to a parent with a lot of political sway. I know when I was that age one of my classmate's parents objected to her reading Jack London because of the language involved. Thankfully, my school board simply gave that child an alternative text to read. No doubt, it was a pain for the teacher and the child involved was horribly embarrassed by her father's stance, but he didn't manage to remove an experienced educator from her post because of it as has happened in Texas.
Certainly, there is a need to protect children from pornography and graphic sexualization. There is definitely a problem with children, young girls especially, wanting to be teenagers or mini-adults long before they are ready, but if the human form is off limits as artwork, hundreds of years of culture is thrown away.
This school district's reaction takes the ideal of personal responsibility for rearing children away from the parents and blames a teacher for her doing her job. What a tragedy!
Earlier this week, a veteran Texas art teacher was suspended and told her contract would not be renewed at the end of the school year. She claims it was because of a parent's complaint regarding artwork a fifth grade child saw while visiting the Dallas Museum of Art.
Officials for the school district claim the teacher was reprimanded by the principal several times since the April museum outing for things like improperly prepared lesson plans, but the teacher said she never had any trouble, or reprimands, until the complaint about the art field trip.
So, back to the original question. At what age is it appropriate for a child to observe statues or paintings that depict the naked human body? And, is it different if the artwork is more absolutely like real like a photograph?
In other cultures, this question can become even more extreme or not an issue at all. Fountains in gardens, frescoes in churches and statues throughout Europe depict everything from cherubs and Roman goddesses in the nude. Granted, these depictions often do not include full-frontal nudity and are not always specifically anatomically correct, but should we be shrouding 10 or 11-year-olds from the reality of the human form?
What I'd really like to know from someone who actually heard the parent's complaint is, Does this parent allow their child to see supermodels in runway clothing? Does the child watch television? What type of artwork is appropriate for children and when do we introduce them to the concept of the nudity?
Recently, I interviewed a forensics interviewer for a local child advocacy center. She told me that when she goes into junior high schools to educate children about dating, date rape and decision-making about their own sexuality, it is often too late! If it's too late by the time they hit 13-years-old, when is it appropriate?
I have to believe that this school board is over-reacting, possibly to a parent with a lot of political sway. I know when I was that age one of my classmate's parents objected to her reading Jack London because of the language involved. Thankfully, my school board simply gave that child an alternative text to read. No doubt, it was a pain for the teacher and the child involved was horribly embarrassed by her father's stance, but he didn't manage to remove an experienced educator from her post because of it as has happened in Texas.
Certainly, there is a need to protect children from pornography and graphic sexualization. There is definitely a problem with children, young girls especially, wanting to be teenagers or mini-adults long before they are ready, but if the human form is off limits as artwork, hundreds of years of culture is thrown away.
This school district's reaction takes the ideal of personal responsibility for rearing children away from the parents and blames a teacher for her doing her job. What a tragedy!
Published by Lucinda Gunnin
Lucinda Gunnin is a writer in Illinois, who spends her days running a mini-storage complex. She had her first short stories published in 2009's Elements of the Soul and more in the recently published Element... View profile
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- The child involved was in fifth grade.
- The art teacher had cleared the field trip with school officials.
- The art eacher has taught in Texas schools for 28 years.
Before the trip, the teacher checked with museum officials to guarantee that the material was age-appropriate to her class.
18 Comments
Post a Commentthousands of years of cultures threw out the world ,have nudity ,still to this day there are nude beaches and yes nude children ,and nobody cares ,the usa people are so prudeish and think nudity is dirty ,its not ,its nature and excepted everywhere.except some fat mother offended at a picture or painting,for children ,its up to a responceable parent to define the difference between nude art ,and pornography, and to not assume there equal.kids will be curious but the more you explain and not hide it from them ,it wont be a shock when they see it. just my opinon
A teacher in a private school told me that she could get in trouble if she taught students about certain artists,, then on their own outside the class the student either sees nudes done by that artist (many artists have done nudes as part of their training) or finds out that artist used drugs (as did some very famous artists in France during the 1800s). Geesh, then how does that school justify telling their students that Clinton was president! Will they get fired because a student finds out on their own about Monica?
The school district was looking for a reason to get rid of that teacher...fine, but keep to the issues of why they wanted to fire her, not some idiotice reason that made them look like fools. Especially after what kids can see on tv and internet today! Anything in a museum is tame compared to that!
What is wrong with showing the body in its God created form. For all the religious, closed minded nutz. I think it's strange that you are so ashamed of Gods natural creation. Those parents' children will all probably turn out to be strippers (children who celebrated their new liberation). When one is so suppressed, it usually backfires. Five stars for the art teachers, we are way too sensitive. The real freaks are the parents!!!!!! Fight against ignorance!!
So I want to know is when are we as a society going to realize that the human body is a beatiful temple. It is because of all the cencorship that the nude body becomes a sexualized object. Now im not saying expose children to porn but come on art. Seriously? Hundreds of years of history and culture should not be hidden from children. It is who we are. How dare you say the teacher deserved it. She was doing her job. By the way they do have to use permission slips. Remember the nude body is beautiful, not a sex object.
Um.. How can you blame the parent for this? First off, all the parent did was complain. The school board are the ones who are not going to renew her contract. Second, as far as Im concerned the art teacher deserved it. She should have had the students FILL OUT A PERMISSION SLIP before letting them attend the field trip to let the parents decide whether or not they feel the field trip was appropriate. Finally, for all of you on here complaining about the parent being upset with their child seeing nudity, its not your child? Everyone has different morals and we should all learn to respect that whether you feel they are rediculous or not.
okay first things first.
these kids are not your kids. When you're a teacher you have to remember that. Even if i dont think seeing naked art is wrong, you have to remember you're not the one raising these kids, you cant make decisions for what's right and what's wrong for them.
it's only common sense, art teacher or not. if you know what's going to be viewed then maybe a little flag should go up in your head that says "oh yeah some of these people are naked in these pictures/ statues",
art or not the fact is that you have a group of fifth graders viewing things that represent the naked human being.
that alone sounds bad.
i absolutely hate how prude and protective parents are here in frisco... who cares if your kid saw that???? i just don't understand in general how parents should shield their kids from nakedness...it's ridiculous. i'm not saying parents should expose their kids to porn.... but art??!! we all have penises and vaginas... why does it have to be kept a secret from kids?? i just don't get it.ughghhghghghh i think this whole thing is crazy... i was on the field trip by the way.... and i really enjoyed it :) and ms. mcgee was an awesome teacher.... she got me interested in art and always pushed us to do our best... she really cared about us and about teaching .... gah.
I just think people are too complaint happy in today's society. Grow up! Teach your children about human anatomy and the beauty of the human form. Both of my parents are art school grads and I was taken to many art galleries where nude art was displayed. We are so small minded in the US. Don't you think there are bigger fish to fry?
Why is it that in America we cater to the lowest possible denominator. This is ridiculous. Don't go to Europe or any other beach outside of the U.S.. How small minded can people be. Focus on a real issue.Your stupid children who can not speak their own language let alone another. Inless ofcourse it is spanish and that is because they are illegals. This country is in serious trouble. I wonder how many murders this childs parents let him or her watch on television on a daily basis.