Florida Leaves Italians Speechless After Parents Label Michelangelo's David as 'Porn'

Michelangelo's sculpture of King David is considered one of the greatest artworks in history. Now, it has triggered Florida parents so much that they have forced a Florida principal to resign.

An image of the 15th-century classic piece of art was shown to a sixth-grade art class in a school in Tallahassee. The school has a policy requiring parents to be notified in advance about "controversial" topics being taught. As news of David being shown to sixth graders spread, the board of the Tallahassee Classical School pressured Principal Hope Carrasquilla to resign.

Carrasquilla stated that she was targeted after three parents complained that they were not notified beforehand that a nude image was shown. She added that a third parent called the iconic statue of the Biblical King of Israel pornographic.

According to the BBC, this overreaction from parents in Florida has Italian art experts astonished. Cecilie Hollberg, director of Galleria dell'Accademia, stated that the principal should be rewarded and not punished and has issued an invitation to the sixth-grade class that was shown an image of the statue.

"Talking about the Renaissance without showing the David, an undisputed icon of art and culture and of that historical period, would make no sense," the art expert told the BBC. She added that to think that the David statue could be considered pornographic means not only failing to understand the Bible but Western culture itself.

She added that "A distinction must be made between nudity and pornography. There is nothing pornographic or aggressive about David, he is a young boy, a shepherd, who even according to the Bible did not have ostentatious clothes but wanted to defend his people with what he had."

Fired Florida Principal Honored by Invitations from Prominent Italians

Principal Carrasquilla has received many invitations to Italy since she was forced to resign. According to the Associated Press, she says that she is "very honored" by the invitations to Italy, and she may accept.

The mayor of Florence, Dario Nardella, was among the many prominent Italians who invited her and the class to see the statue in Italy.

"Mistaking art for pornography is simply ridiculous," he tweeted. "Art is civilization and those who teach it deserve respect."

"I've been to Florence before and have seen the David up close and in person, but I would love to go and be a guest of the mayor," the principal said of the invitation.

More Visitors Flock to See Michelangelo's David After Florida Parents Got Triggered

The uproar in Florida has had a very different effect in the place where the statue can be found as more people went to see Michelangelo's David on the other side of the world, in Florence, Italy.

According to the Associated Press, many visitors were Americans either on spring break or studying abroad.

"It's part of history, I don't understand how you can say it's porn," said one American student from Ohio.

Meanwhile, the Florida Department of Education has already distanced itself from the Tallahassee controversy, releasing a statement that read, "The Statue of David has artistic and historical value. Florida encourages instruction on the classics and classical art, and would not prohibit its use in instruction."

It added, "The matter at the Tallahassee Classical School is between the school and an employee, and is not the effect of state rule or law."

Many are saying that the "culture war" policies of Governor Ron DeSantis may be to blame for this uproar, as the Tallahassee Classical School follows a curriculum designed by Hillsdale College, a conservative Christian school in Michigan frequently consulted by the Florida governor.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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