US Principal Who Showed David Statue in Class
Parents Claim "David Statue Is Pornography," Leading to Dismissal
Florence Mayor Protests, "Principal Invited to Florence"
An elementary school principal in the United States was fired after showing a photo of Michelangelo's masterpiece 'David' during class and receiving criticism from parents who called it 'pornographic.' This has sparked bewildered reactions in Italy.
On the 26th (local time), according to the American political media outlet The Hill, Dario Nardella, the mayor of Florence, Italy, sent an invitation via Twitter to the dismissed principal to visit the city, criticizing the confusion between art and pornography as "ridiculous."
Mayor Nardella said, "On behalf of Florence, I would like to invite the teacher to Florence," adding, "Art is civilization, and those who teach it deserve respect."
Cecilie Holberg, the director of the Accademia Gallery where the David statue is exhibited, also expressed disbelief over the controversy. She pointed out, "Thinking of the David statue as pornography means not understanding the Bible, Western culture, or Renaissance art." Director Holberg also announced that she would directly invite the school's board, parents, and student council to show them the 'purity' of the artwork.
The David statue is Michelangelo's (1475?1564) representative work, a large marble sculpture completed in 1504, standing 5 meters 17 centimeters tall. The David statue, along with Michelangelo's Piet? (1499), is considered a masterpiece of Western art history. Currently, the David statue is housed at the Accademia Gallery in Florence.
Earlier, Karascilla, the principal of Tallahassee Classical School, a Christian school in Florida, showed photos of the Renaissance-era David statue to 6th-grade students during an art class last week. Parents strongly protested, claiming the principal exposed their children to pornography.
The school board, responding to the strong protests from parents, advised Principal Karascilla to choose between resignation or dismissal. Consequently, Karascilla voluntarily resigned. Nevertheless, some parents have requested to be informed of class content in advance going forward.
Meanwhile, supported by Mayor Nardella, Principal Karascilla told the Associated Press, "I am very honored to be invited to Italy." He added, "I have been to Florence before and have seen the David statue up close, but I would like to be a guest of the mayor."
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