Wednesday 11 October 2006

Teacher Sacked Over Nude!

Marble figure of a young man from a funerary relief (Greek, Attic c.330 BC)Yankee prudes are at it again. Last April, teacher Sydney McGee (a woman, despite her name) took a party of 89 children aged 9 and 10 from Fisher Elementary School in Frisco to the Dallas Museum of Art. (She had 12 parents with her to keep the little scamps in check.) Subsequently one batty dad complained that his child had been exposed to "an abstract nude", a Greek funerary relief from 4BC depicting a marble torso. And Syd was sacked. US newspapers are outraged by Syd's sacking. The school board has countered with nasty allegations that Syd wore flip-flops to school. The scandal has reached The Guardian in the UK and the antipodean Art News Blog, where it's created a lively debate. But only Coxsoft Art News has plumbed the depths of the Dallas Museum of Art to bring you the offending statue. Abstract? Only in that it's lost most of its vital parts. That's probably what the kid complained to dad about!

7 Comments:

At 11/10/06, Blogger Woopidoo said...

That's completely shocking. I can see now why the parent would be so offended!!

Museums should have statues like this locked away from our innocent youth and those of us that are disgusted by our own bodies!

OK, I'm kidding. Is Texas a place in Afghanistan somewhere? I thought it was located in the United States?

 
At 11/10/06, Blogger Unknown said...

Scary, isn't it?
What we have to remember about the USA is that it was originally populated by religious nutters who were being persecuted in Europe. It still shows today.
If I recall correctly, it was the New York Times that published a survey on Evolution v. Creationism and found that the USA is at the bottom end of the league with about 75% of Yanks still believing in Creationism. It may be the richest, most technically advanced nation on earth, but it's thinking is primitive, probably not much more advanced than that of Muslim Fundamentalists.
Whatever happened to the religious idea that we were created in God's image? I suppose it got lost somewhere in original sin. These notions defy logic!

 
At 13/10/06, Blogger Unknown said...

Hi, Jacoblog
I'm sure you're right. I mean, flip-flops. That's beyond the pale, isn't it? What self-respecting art teacher wears anything but highly polished brogues, even if she is a woman?

 
At 17/6/07, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am a Texan and say this is utter nonsense. From the reports I have read, several people moved to the town of Frisco, TX for their children to be able to attend Sydney McGee’s art program. What is going to happen to those students now that this prudish father flipped out over a statute like this? And what is this father going to do when his son begins sex Ed in sixth grade?

What was the school to do in this age of political correctness? Have a disclaimer in small print: Due to the possibility of nudity those who find offense should not sign permission below.

On a serious note, Sydney McGee was honored with a Star Teacher Award two years before this incident. Now due one loud mouth and her panache for flip-flops she’s canned? Ridiculous!

 
At 17/6/07, Blogger Unknown said...

Hi, Krisan
Thanks for the extra information. I didn't know that Syd had received a Star Teacher Award. It makes her sacking even more nonsensical.
I suspect a lot of this nonsense is due to in-school politics. Have you read the continuing saga of Pete Pansy? (Seach my blog for an account.) The back-biting and in-school politics in that case sound like something from the Roman Empire!

 
At 26/2/10, Anonymous volha said...

Wow! I am shocked! How could good american parents let their children be exposed to these things?! Yes, I'm also kidding, like Art News Blog, I am quiet shocked. That parent probably has some mental problems, though. Since I live in California, I really don't care, but this is plain wierd! Why would a teacher get sacked for wearing flip-flops?
This is supposed to be a free country!!!

 
At 26/2/10, Blogger Unknown said...

Hi, Volha

Like Britain, the USA is only a free country if you don't offend anyone. Have you seen the furore created by the Harry Potter books in the States? Look it up in Wikipedia. Banned in reactionary libraries in the USA! Groan!

 

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