Advertisement

Fla. Principal Forced to Resign for Showing Students Michelangelo's 'David' Visits Sculpture

"There is nothing wrong with the human body in and of itself," said former Tallahassee Classical School principal Hope Carrasquilla

AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino
AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino

A school principal in Florida visited Michelangelo's famed sculpture of the Biblical figure David after she was asked to resign because parents allegedly complained about their sixth-grade students seeing it in a lesson.

"There is nothing wrong with the human body in and of itself," former Tallahassee Classical School principal Hope Carrasquilla said in a statement from the museum, according to the Washington Post.

According to the publication, Carrasquilla said visiting the sculpture was like going to church and noted its "purity" and "humanness."

"David," sculpted by Michelangelo around the year 1500, is considered a masterpiece by critics and is one of the most recognized pieces of art in the world.

Related:Florida Principal Out of a Job After 6th-Graders Viewed Michelangelo's 'David' During Art Lesson

Franco Origlia/Getty
Franco Origlia/Getty

The publication reported that Galleria director Cecilie Hollberg said she was "delighted" to show Carrasquilla the artwork and that it symbolized "the religious principle of good triumphing over evil."

She added that it has "nothing to do with pornography," which is in direct contrast to what one parent at the Tallahassee Classical School said, per HuffPost.

In March, Carrasquilla was asked to resign after an emergency school board meeting, per Post. Though she said she was not told about the reason for the decision, she said it likely involved an art lesson taught to sixth-grade students about the marble statue, which features David in the nude.

"It is with a sad heart that my time as the principal of Tallahassee Classical School has come to an end," she wrote in a letter to the school board, per the Post.

RELATED VIDEO: Elementary School Principal Facing Child Endangerment Charges Dies by Suicide at Disneyland

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

While speaking to HuffPost, Carrasquilla said she did not expect the type of reaction she received from the school board and that a letter was meant to be sent to parents before the lesson took place. But due to "miscommunications," the message was not sent.

School board chair Barney Bishop confirmed to the Post and CBS affiliate WCTV that Carrasquilla was given an ultimatum to resign or be fired after complaints regarding the sculpture, though he said the decision was primarily based on communication.

"She wasn't let go because of the artistic nude pictures. We show it every year to our students," Bishop told Post. "The problem with this particular issue was the lack of follow-through on the process." He added to HuffPost: "Parental rights trump everything else."

In a letter to the board, Carrasquilla ensured she had "always desired good for Tallahassee Classical School" and was not "promoting myself or a political agenda," the Post reported.

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.