The Obscenity of Michelangelo

Fandango

Michelangelo’s 600-year-old sculpture of the biblical figure of David before his storied face-off against Goliath is one of the most enduring symbols of Italy’s Renaissance period. The towering David was sculpted without clothes, an example of the “heroic male nude” trope of classical antiquity that depicted heroes in idealized forms.

But after complaints from three parents that their middle-schoolers were exposed to “inappropriate adult content” in their class by their art teacher, the principal of that Florida school was given an ultimatum by her school board to resign or be fired.

Apparently David’s nude depiction was a little too revealing for the Tallahassee Classical School, despite its emphasis on “content-rich classical education in the liberal arts and sciences.” One aggrieved parent deemed the statue to be “pornographic.”

Barney Bishop, the head of the school’s board, showed Hope Carrasquilla, the school’s principal, two letters in a meeting with she had with him. One was a voluntary resignation, and the other a letter that said if she decided not to resign, the board would terminate her without cause. Carrasquilla resigned.

The ousting of Carrasquilla rides a growing wave of conservative educational legislation in Florida and across the country. GOP governors and state legislators are targeting tenure, affirmative action, and diversity, equity, and inclusion measures at the their states’ public universities. American history is being whitewashed and education is being sanitized and sterilized. And Michelangelo is now considered to be a purveyor of pornography. Sheesh.

39 thoughts on “The Obscenity of Michelangelo”

    • Marlapaige March 24, 2023 / 8:50 pm

      Sadly, not true at all. In the last decade, many countries have turned on various art and banned it for pornographic content. It’s a sad and disgraceful situation, happening all over the world.

      Like

    • Fandango March 24, 2023 / 9:29 pm

      As I just commented to someone else, in the United States, it’s as if the inmates are now running the asylum. 🤦🏼‍♂️

      Liked by 1 person

      • Jen March 24, 2023 / 9:45 pm

        And they’re unstoppable, unreasonable and more committed to their purpose.
        Good luck!

        Liked by 1 person

  4. slmret March 24, 2023 / 8:39 pm

    How ridiculous! This is even worse than removing historical statuary and flags!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Fandango March 24, 2023 / 9:23 pm

      The inmates are running the asylum.

      Like

    • Fandango March 24, 2023 / 9:22 pm

      I can’t either. WTF?

      Like

      • Marlapaige March 24, 2023 / 9:26 pm

        I’m so over the crazy. It’s like a planetary loony bin just had a break out and everyone ended up here.

        Liked by 1 person

  8. Mister Bump UK March 25, 2023 / 1:54 am

    She should have made them fire her as it would look better in the subsequent lawsuit.

    Liked by 1 person

  10. newepicauthor March 25, 2023 / 7:20 am

    A fig-leaf was hung on the David when certain royal ladies would visit the statue and it was last used in the time of Queen Mary. We have the worst governor ever here in Florida, so I only expect things to get worse.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Fandango March 25, 2023 / 8:34 am

      My bother-in-law just moved from Florida to Manhattan because he could no longer take Florida politics and was very concerned about what DeSantis was doing to the state.

      Liked by 1 person

      • newepicauthor March 25, 2023 / 9:47 am

        In an effort to comply with Florida’s new “Stop W.O.K.E. Act” law, the publisher of a Florida textbook submitted a draft revision was altered about her changing her seat on the bus because of her race.

        Liked by 1 person

  11. pensitivity101 March 25, 2023 / 1:08 pm

    It’s ridiculous. Some people haven’t got anything better to do.

    Liked by 1 person

  12. bushboy March 25, 2023 / 2:33 pm

    Your legislators and those who want your citizens to be…..I don’t know but I think George Orwell was on the right track with the US
    I find evangelists the scourge of the US as well as your right leaning nut jobs. Another push of the button to flush the US further down the sewer among the previous crap that is being dealt out to the poor people who have brains and integrity.
    Rant over 😡

    Liked by 1 person

    • Fandango March 25, 2023 / 2:59 pm

      This is reaching the point that the United States is getting ready to crash and burn and Russia and China didn’t have to fire a shot.

      Liked by 1 person

      • bushboy March 25, 2023 / 3:02 pm

        That’s another one. How many “reds under the beds” have they found

        Liked by 1 person

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  14. Taswegian1957 March 26, 2023 / 12:43 am

    It’s hard to believe this is happening. Have we all entered some kind of time warp?

    Liked by 1 person

    • Fandango March 26, 2023 / 11:43 am

      I thin we are regressing.

      Like

    • Fandango March 27, 2023 / 1:48 pm

      It is hard to fathom.

      Like

  16. southernhon1 April 2, 2023 / 3:23 pm

    Absolutely ridiculous.

    Liked by 1 person

  17. leigha66 April 4, 2023 / 3:40 pm

    It is art, been art for many years and will continue to be art. There is not pornographic about it! Just shaking my head.

    Like

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