Thoughtprints

Art. One of the things I am most passionate about. I believe in art. I believe in the power of art. I've literally become weak in the knees while viewing a showing at the Denver Museum of Art of the great artists of the Impressionist movement. I was absolutely mesmerized by, and in awe of, the spectacular images before my eyes. You could see each and every brush stroke. I can feel my eyes welling just thinking about it. Art can change your perspective, opinions, ideas and, most importantly, art can move your soul. I studied art and art history all through Junior High and High School. If I had had the opportunity to go to college, I would have most definitely continued my studies in that area. Sometimes I think my art was and is the only voice I really have, and I leave a big part of myself in every piece I do. That is why I am so upset by this story. WHO IN THE HELL ARE THOSE PEOPLE to label artistic sculptures of the nude body at the Dallas Museum of Art as bad??? BAD???? Are you kidding me?!?! You would certainly think a progressive city like Dallas would produce more open-minded and cultured people, wouldn't you? My God! Those STUPID (and I stress the word STUPID) parents raised so much hell they got that poor woman fired! Fired! After 28 years of teaching art! An award-winnning teacher at that! Not to mention the parents ALL signed permission slips for their children to attend this field trip, and the principal and school administration encouraged it, as well. But she gets fired???? For something they saw at an art museum???? Am I the only one who thinks this is ridiculous, absurd, UNFAIR and just plain WRONG??? Why would ANYONE think a nude sculpture is bad??? And what does that teach those children? That the human body, when naked, is BAD?? WTF??!! I think we should start a country-wide campaign to get this woman re-hired! Maybe we can find the school district's email address or something and flood them with emails demanding she be reinstated! Especially YOU TEXAS PEOPLE! Come on! Show the rest of us you're not all as completely art illiterate as those parents, that principal and that school district!!

EDIT: The school in question is "Wilma Fisher Elementary" (whose motto, by the way, is "Never be anything less than everything you can be.” Yeah, right! As long as it doesn't involve ever looking at a nude sculpture!!) in Frisco, Texas, and is in the Frisco Independent School District. You can email them at mckays at friscoisd dot org.