http://www.wral.com/education/9936513/detail.html

Man, how embarrassing. I hope she finds a new job in a better community.

Wow!! That's astonishing!! It truly breaks my heart that our society has become so painfully puritanical. One parent was upset by a nude statue--one out of 89!-- and this well respected teacher loses here job. And they're fifth graders, for crying out loud!

I think it's part of our job, as adults, to teach kids to appreciate art for what it is, and to not freak out at the sight of nudity.

Glad to see the Texas morals police are looking out for the innocent children. Fucking ridiculous.

Oh, fucking COME ON, I grew up in a Mormon community, and no one was screaming about textbooks with pics of the Venus de Milo. Exaggeration of the human form is the most fundamental form of art. Brigham Young University even teaches art students about nudes.

I'm sure the teacher will find another job where people are actually allowed to learn about art.

Not in Texas, apparently.



Vote Democrat or abstain - kick these criminals out of power on November 7th!!!

Let me place some other perspective. Being an ex-teacher and married to a teacher I disagree with the school system's move. HOWEVER, most of the time they take these drastic moves (like expelling first graders who happen to carry a butter knife to school) is that they are deathly afraid of being sued. Almost all school system run no shoestrings (thanks to Goverment regulations and cheapskate elected officials) that they cannot afford a lawsuit so they quickly capitulate.

So, as an ex teacher myself, what would be the grounds for a lawsuit in this instance? Any lawyers around here who could tell us?

Article 43.24 of the Texas Penal Code defines material that is harmful to minors as material "whose dominant theme taken as a whole" "appeals to the prurient interest of a minor," "is patently offensive to prevailing standards in the adult community as a whole with respect to what is suitable for minors," and "is utterly without redeeming social value for minors."

For example:

"A mural containing a classical nude has become the target of police harassment in the small town of Pilot Point in Northern Texas. Wes Miller, owner of the gallery on whose wall the nude is painted has received a police notice claiming the mural is in violation of the Texas Penal Code 43.24 banning the sale, distribution and display of material harmful to minors. Miller is given the choice of modifying the mural or facing criminal charges. The mural itself, reminiscent in composition of Michelangelo's Creation of Adam fresco in the Sistine Chapel, depicts a large hand pointing at an apple and a classical female nude on the other side contemplating that same apple."

So, in theory if the teacher is knowingly exposing the children to material deemed to be in violation of Code 43.24, there is a potential for civil action by the parents against the teacher and the school board. I don't know that the artwork in question was, but if the Sistine Chapel is considered to be offensive in Texas, you can rest assured there is much more lewd artwork in the average museum.

One wonders if Texas will put a ban on breastfeeding, as it exposes children to naked adult breasts.

Since when does anyone need a law to sue! Come on -- a company get's sued for having selling hot coffee and not telling anyone it's hot. Even if the suit is thrown out it cost lots to prepare.

quote:

So, in theory if the teacher is knowingly exposing the children to material deemed to be in violation of Code 43.24, there is a potential for civil action by the parents against the teacher and the school board. I don't know that the artwork in question was, but if the Sistine Chapel is considered to be offensive in Texas, you can rest assured there is much more lewd artwork in the average museum.

So this would apply to a public art museum?

It would apply to a public art museum, if the material was equivalent to PG-13 and the kids were under 13, sure. I am willing to be that if a teacher took a 9-year-old to a PG-13 movie without informing the parents of the content their child would see, there would be a suit. And if Texas decides that Michaelangelo is porn, then most public art museums are an R rating at the very least.