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Art Teacher Loses Job After Kids See Nude Sculpture
The Indy Channel ^ | September 26, 2006 | AP

Posted on 09/26/2006 9:33:20 AM PDT by Abathar

Children Were On School-Approved Field Trip

FRISCO, Texas -- A award-winning Texas art teacher who was reprimanded after one of her fifth-grade students saw a nude sculpture during a trip to a museum has lost her job.

The school board in Frisco has voted not to renew Sydney McGee's contract after 28 years. She has been on administrative leave.

The teacher took her students on an approved field trip to a Dallas museum, and now some parents are upset.

The Fisher Elementary school art teacher came under fire last April when she took 89 fifth graders on a field trip to the Dallas Museum of Art. Parents raised concerns over the field trip after their children reported seeing a nude sculpture at the art museum.

The parents had signed permission slips allowing their children to take part in the field trip.

McGee's lawyer said the principal at Fisher Elementary School admonished her after a parent complained that a student had seen nude art.

McGee said the principal had urged her to take the students to the museum.

Now, McGee, who was honored with a Star Teacher Award two years ago, is on paid administrative leave until her contract with the school district expires in March.

Other parents are worried about the future of the art program at the school, which they cite as a reason for moving into the neighborhood.

"Our main concern right now is what's going to happen to the children and what's going to happen to the art program at Fisher Elementary. It is the best art program. That's the reason we moved to this neighborhood. It's because of the teachers," said Shannon Allen, parent. "It was a principal approved trip. What's the big deal?"

Officials with the Frisco school district declined to comment on the matter.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; News/Current Events; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: libertarians; mad; nea; tardsonparade
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To: djf

I remember the explanation about what "get thee to a nunnery" REALLY meant in those days!


221 posted on 09/26/2006 11:44:25 AM PDT by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
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To: GovernmentShrinker
piles of rubble at risk for being carried off by janitors who reasonably assume it to be trash

It's happened. I have a link to the article somewhere.

222 posted on 09/26/2006 11:44:27 AM PDT by antiRepublicrat
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To: leilani

I still don't see anything that justifies her termination in that article.


223 posted on 09/26/2006 11:46:17 AM PDT by stands2reason (ANAGRAM for the day: Socialist twaddle == Tact is disallowed)
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To: Lekker 1

JFK is not a jelly donut, that's Teddy.


224 posted on 09/26/2006 11:46:44 AM PDT by Michael.SF. (Those who do not know Islam pretend that Islam counsels against war. They are the witless." –Khomeni)
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To: PAR35
Here's the one sitting in front of the Detroit Institute of Arts:


225 posted on 09/26/2006 11:46:44 AM PDT by Tokra (I think I'll retire to Bedlam.)
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To: GovernmentShrinker
I think "art" in general is way overrated in our society, especially in the leftist realm. There's this notion that art is "important". Important for what?

Without art life is merely survival.

I bet your are referring to art that you don't like. Do you listen to music? Watch TV? Go to movies? Wear clothes that do more than just cover your nakedness? Are the walls in your house painted? Do you enjoy eating or do you just eat survival rations? Do you have conversations that don't focus on food, shelter or housing? Do you read books? Drink wine? Watch sports? These are all art.

226 posted on 09/26/2006 11:47:54 AM PDT by citizenmike
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To: Abathar
The Fisher Elementary school art teacher came under fire last April when she took 89 fifth graders on a field trip to the Dallas Museum of Art.

This reason alone should earn her a bonus . . . 89 fifth graders? Ick!

227 posted on 09/26/2006 11:52:42 AM PDT by WIladyconservative
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To: GovernmentShrinker

Art shapes the way people see the world. Shakespeare virtually invented modern English. And it's populairty dates beyond educrats back to Cave paintings.


228 posted on 09/26/2006 11:54:07 AM PDT by Borges
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To: GovernmentShrinker

Your post has several things worth discussing in it. You're right...of the kids who went to the art museum, few will become artists. Yet, exposing kids to art is definitely a worthwile thing to do. It's history, as well.

As for your English major stuff, I have a Masters in English. I don't write poetry or novels. I've been a computer programmer with my own software company. My degree in English helped me very much with that, since programming languages are just that...languages. Having learned the importance of syntax in English, I had little trouble with it in computer languages.

I also spent about 25 years writing for various magazines. I wrote articles that taught people how to do things, from home repair to fine woodworking to using computer technology. I made a fine living doing that.

Again, the skills I learned as an English major served me very well in that field. I had learned to be consise in my language, and how to write in a way that actually led my readers through whatever thing I was teaching them.

These days, I use those skills to sell miscellaneous stuff on eBay. My items generally sell for quite a bit more than the same items listed by others. Why? Because I can write a good description.

I have a couple of websites, plus a blog that is actually generating quite a bit of money for me these days. All because I can write well.

Don't discount English majors. They're working in all sorts of places, doing all sorts of things.


229 posted on 09/26/2006 11:55:58 AM PDT by MineralMan (Non-evangelical Atheist)
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To: MEGoody
"Odd...the Taliban ran Afghanistan like this."

"Not even close", you said.

It may not be close, but it is a step down the same damn slippery slope.

230 posted on 09/26/2006 11:58:01 AM PDT by Gulf War One
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To: Warren_Piece

Beautiful.

My love of art is in the literal, and even though some here might have a few nasties to throw out, I'm inclined to think Oscar Wilde is one of the greatest writers ever. His Salome is superb, the textures and touches are as real as any I've ever had in real life.

And as far as the religious aspect goes, hey, this is all part of being human, a spiritual creature with a physical existence, there is reason and purpose behind it all.

I don't think God ever meant us to be unfeeling machines who could never be hurt, or ever give pleasure.


231 posted on 09/26/2006 12:01:55 PM PDT by djf (Some people say we evolved. I say "Some did, some didn't!")
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To: Abathar

If it had been the Smithsonian Hirshhorn I could see this, but for the most part you don't always know what you are going to find in an art museum.


232 posted on 09/26/2006 12:02:19 PM PDT by Boiler Plate (Mom always said why be difficult, when with just a little more effort you can be impossible.)
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To: GovernmentShrinker
English is the most wide-ranging pursuit. All the other humanities come through English...history, philosophy, psychology. People think in language so having a firm command of your own language and those who have used it best increases the efficiency and your of your thought.
233 posted on 09/26/2006 12:02:52 PM PDT by Borges
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To: freepatriot32

(PRUDE ALERT) Shades of John Ashcroft...wonder what the parents' reaction would have been should the kids have seen a new mom breastfeeding her infant?


234 posted on 09/26/2006 12:03:57 PM PDT by meandog (While Bush will never fill them, Clinton isn't fit to even lick the soles of Reagan's shoes!)
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To: stands2reason
It doesn't justify her termination, but it sure raises suspicions that there is probably more to it than what her reps are claiming in this article.

Remember, the district is restricted from publicizing reasons for termination - empl. privacy/union rules etc. The fact that other teachers & the principal evidently had problems with her, not just one or two nutsoid parents & a Taliban schoolboard, tells me a lot.

The claim that the schoolboard in Frisco TX would throw her overboard for taking kids on a preapproved field trip to the Dallas Museum is not ringing true.

235 posted on 09/26/2006 12:05:05 PM PDT by leilani (Dimmi, dimmi se mai fu fatta cosa alcuna!)
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To: Abathar

Reading this whole article, this was an approved school field trip, permission slips signed by parents and the whole bit. The teacher should not have lost her job.


236 posted on 09/26/2006 12:05:34 PM PDT by BLS (Outside of a dog, a book is mans' best friend. Inside a dog it is too dark to read a book.)
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To: antiRepublicrat

Ein Wiener.


237 posted on 09/26/2006 12:06:58 PM PDT by AnAmericanMother ((Ministrix of Ye Chase, TTGC Ladies' Auxiliary (recess appointment)))
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To: MineralMan

Where's your blog URL?


238 posted on 09/26/2006 12:13:04 PM PDT by Mrs. Don-o ("They are not all accounted for, the lost Seeing-Stones. We don't know who else could be watching.")
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To: freepatriot32
"A muslim would have never ever signed a permission slip for thier children to go to the museum its unislamic according to them'"

It makes sense that they wouldn't sign a permission slip --- however I don't always expect them to make sense.

239 posted on 09/26/2006 12:15:15 PM PDT by Mrs. Don-o (Sorry: Tag-line presently at the dry cleaners. Please find suitable bumper-sticker instead.)
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To: antiRepublicrat

It has happened more than once!


240 posted on 09/26/2006 12:21:05 PM PDT by GovernmentShrinker
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