Dismissal after "pornography" in class - that's why the culture war in US schools is escalating

On its website, Tallahassee Classical School advertises that it "trains the minds and hearts of young people with a rich classical education in the liberal arts and sciences." They would be guided by "the principles of morality and civil courage". For some parents, however, the focus on classical education and liberal arts went too far, while in their view the principles of morality fell short. Hope Carrasquilla should feel that recently.

At a hastily scheduled meeting of the school board of trustees, the headmistress was asked to voluntarily resign. Reason: One of her teachers had shown his eleven and twelve-year-old students in art class a photo of "David", a masterpiece by the Renaissance artist Michelangelo and world famous.

Members of the advisory board told US media that three pairs of parents had complained. The work of art is “pornography”. In addition, the headmistress did not follow the agreed procedure, according to which parents must be notified in advance of sensitive teaching topics and take their children out of the class.

The events in Florida's federal capital are the latest example of the growing confrontation between schools and teachers on the one hand and parents on the other. Conservative families come across teaching content on sexuality, sexual orientation, racism or even history. Politicians like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis have long recognized this tension as an issue from which electoral capital can be made.

A few days ago, DeSantis introduced a tightened draft law that the state will vote on after Easter. Last year, Donald Trump's closest competitor in the race for the Republican nomination had already pushed through that the curriculum for elementary school students no longer included lessons on sexual orientation and gender identity.

In the future, even teenagers who are about to graduate from school should no longer hear about these questions. DeSantis wants to expand the "Don't Say Gay" law. "From fourth through twelfth grades, teaching about sexual orientation and gender identity is prohibited unless specifically required by academic standards or as part of a reproductive health course," the draft reads. However, the parents of the students concerned have the right to take their child out of class for these lessons.

For years, ultra-conservative politicians in various states have been successful in banning young adult books about racism and sexual identity from school and library shelves. Only last week did the Republicans succeed in planting a fungus at the federal level.

With a narrow majority in the House of Representatives, they pushed through a bill that would require schools to disclose their library catalog and curriculum. The Parents Bill of Rights Act is a core element of the Republican political agenda, which will only intensify with the approaching presidential election in late 2024.

According to the draft law, a school administration must first obtain parental consent if a student wants to change their gender-identifying pronoun. Parents are also allowed to inspect the books in the library and the curriculum.

However, the law will not become a reality because the Democrats block it with their majority in the Senate. President Joe Biden has also made his rejection clear. The White House said the law does not help parents support their children in school. At the same time, homosexual and transgender students would be exposed to higher risks.

At Tallahassee Classical School, meanwhile, the "David" chapter does not end with the resignation of the principal. At a gathering shortly after Carrasquilla's indirect expulsion, many parents protested and asked the chairman of the board of trustees to take his hat off himself. He didn't want to know anything about it. “Teachers should be the experts? Teachers should have all knowledge? Is this a joke? There are good teachers, but they are certainly not the only authority," Barney Bishop defended the decision to eject the principal, according to reports from the "Tallahassee Democrat".

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