Some DISD parents and teachers are concerned, and parents and teachers from other districts should be concerned -- they just don't know it. Many districts have supplied their art teachers for Grades 6-12 with the PBS documentary entitled Art:21 - Art in the Twenty-First Century. The documentary features short biographies of modern artists and describes their techniques.
What's the concern? Documentary images considered "too disturbing or sexual for the classroom" may not be considered as such by the art teachers. The fear is that students will "take it upon themselves to search the internet for more information about some artists in the documentary and get an eyeful."
One of the artists, Kara Walker, has a current exhibit in Ft. Worth. The museum showing her work has this disclaimer: "Please be advised that the Kara Walker exhibition contains mature subject matter including explicit sexual images. Viewers should use their own discretion."
Why are we promoting pornographic artists in our schools? "For sixth-graders, a portion of the lesson focuses on students using artwork to think critically about 'crucial and painful issues of past and present societies.'" Whatever happened to painting still lifes and landscapes? Whatever happened to sculpting statues? Whatever happened to mosaics and collages? This is just another example of the liberal indoctrination of our young people.
One of the concerned teachers, Diane Birdwell, said, "My main concern was that for our kids, we need to introduce them to basic art first. Most of them have never been to a museum, do not understand the different media of art, and have no clue about the politics of art. You can't hang pictures until you put the walls up, folks." Essie May couldn't have said it better!
"Art tool is an eyeful." The Dallas Morning News; September 22, 2008; p. 1B.
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