Name: Parents of Arizona School Children Claim Images of Art Illuminaries Inappropriate for School Children

Date: 1985 - 1995

Location: North America

SubjectNudity

MediumTextbook ,Painting,Literature


Artist: El Greco, Picasso, Renoir, O'Keefe, Excher, Manet, Parrish, Bosch, Gauguin

Confronting Bodies: Parents of elementary school children

Date of Action: 1995

Specific Location: Maldonado ELementary School, Tucson, Arizona

Description of Artwork: Suvey of works by artists listed above, bound in text books.



Description of Incident: The parent of a child enrolled in an art class, which used texts surveying works of famous artists, approached the Principal about removing the books. The parent believed that the works were "pornographic and morbid." When the principal refused to remove the books the parent joined with several others to petition the Assistant Superintendent. The Assistant then removed the books. Because of protests for the books return by a community coalition promoting free expression a Library Resource Review Committee held a hearing to debate the propriety of the books presence in an elementary class.



Results of Incident: After the hearing, the committee decided unanimously to reinstate the books.



Source: NCAC: based on an article in "Artisic Freedom Under Attack" Volume 3, 1995 provided by People for the American Way

Submitted By: Peter Silverman


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