Florida Principal's Ousting Over David Statue Causes Stir in Italy

• Hope Carrasquilla said she was forced to resign from Tallahassee Classical School after students were shown an image of Michelangelo's David.
• Three parents had complained, including one who said the sculpture was pornographic.
• Florence Mayor Dario Nardella said "mistaking art for pornography is just ridiculous" and invited Carrasquilla to the city.

A Florida principal's ousting after complaints about a lesson featuring a photo of Michelangelo's David has sparked outrage and incredulity in the Italian city that is home to the Renaissance masterpiece.

Hope Carrasquilla resigned from the Tallahassee Classical School, a charter school, last week, saying she was forced to do so after three parents complained about sixth-grade students being shown an image of the nude sculpture, with one describing it as pornographic.

The news caught the attention of Florence Mayor Dario Nardella, who tweeted that "mistaking art for pornography is just ridiculous."

Nardella said he will "personally invite the teacher to Florence to give her recognition" on behalf of the city. "Art is civilization and whoever teaches it deserves respect."

The controversy also made the front page of the Italian daily Corriere della Sera, which featured a cartoon by its leading satirist of David with his genitals covered by an image of Uncle Sam and the word "Shame," the Associated Press reported.

Cecilie Hollberg, director of the Galleria dell'Accademia, which is home to the David, told the AP: "To think that David could be pornographic means truly not understanding the contents of the Bible, not understanding Western culture and not understanding Renaissance art."

She invited Carrasquilla, the school board, parents, and the student body to view the "purity" of the statue. Newsweek has contacted Hollberg for comment via email.

The response highlights how the culture wars of the U.S. are perceived outside the country. In Italy, for example, far-right Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's party has vowed to crack down on those who damage Italy's heritage as part of their drive to combat "cancel culture." Nude masterpieces of the Renaissance period are not considered controversial in Italy.

Florida, meanwhile, has been at the center of disputes over what children are taught in schools. Last year, the state's Republican Governor Ron DeSantis signed legislation that bans the discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in certain grade levels. DeSantis also signed into law a bill that bans educators from teaching critical race theory in K-12 classrooms, despite it not being part of the state's public school curriculum.

Carrasquilla told the AP that she is "very honored" by the invitations to Italy and said she may accept.

"I am totally, like, wow," Carasquilla said. "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." Newsweek has contacted her via Facebook for comment.

Barney Bishop, the school board chairman of Tallahassee Classical School, has said that the photo of the statue played a part in Carrasquilla's ousting, but that it was not the only factor.

He told Slate magazine that the school made an "egregious mistake" when it did not notify parents in advance, per school policy, that it was going to be shown to students.

"Last year, the school sent out an advance notice about it. Parents should know: In class, students are going to see or hear or talk about this," Bishop said. "This year, we didn't send out that notice."

Tallahassee Classical is a charter school that is taxpayer-funded but operates almost entirely independently of the local school district. The school's board has been contacted for comment via email.

The David, arguably the most famous sculpture in the world, was created by Michelangelo Buonarroti between 1501 and 1504. It depicts the Biblical David going to fight Goliath armed only with his rock, slingshot, and faith in God.

It was originally commissioned by the Cathedral of Florence but is now the star attraction of the Accademia. It attracts millions of visitors each year, according to the gallery's website.

A replica of the sculpture also stands outside the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence's Piazza della Signoria.