Christian college ends partnership with school after ‘David’ controversy

A Christian college in Michigan is ending its partnership with a Florida school that got attention for its policy on teaching students about Michelangelo’s David statue.

“Hillsdale College is no longer affiliated with Tallahassee Classical School,” which previously held a license to use Hillsdale’s curricular materials, the college said in a statement.

The license linking the schools has been revoked and will expire at the end of the school year.

Tallahassee Classical School, a Christian school that opened in 2020, gained attention when its former principal, Hope Carrasquilla, resigned after parents were angered that sixth graders were shown a photo of the nude Renaissance sculpture David.

While some parents found the sculpture of a nude man “phonographic,” it is considered one of the most iconic pieces of Renaissance art. The school’s board chair Barney Bishop told CBS News that David is taught to students every year, but the administration notifies parents first and this year, a letter was not sent out.

Bishop said 97% of parents agreed to the lesson this year, but the 3% of parents who did not agree were “entitled to have that opinion.”

Hillsdale College, a Christian liberal arts college in Southern Michigan, says it “provides a classical scope and sequence to many schools across the country as a free resource.”

“To set the record straight: This drama around teaching Michelangelo’s ‘David’ sculpture, one of the most important works of art in existence, has become a distraction from, and a parody of, the actual aims of classical education,” the statement reads. “Of course, Hillsdale’s K-12 art curriculum includes Michelangelo’s ‘David’ and other works of art that depict the human form.”

The college said it does not train the staff at its partner schools and its relationships are “founded upon a mutual understanding about the aims of education.”

Bishop said Carrasquilla was asked to resign over a number of incidents, and he claimed she blamed the David incident so the whole truth wouldn’t be reported. Still, the incident gained widespread attention – even prompting the mayor of Florence, where David is on display, to extend an invitation to the former school official.

The charter school sends letters home before any potentially controversial lesson is taught, Bishop said.

Florida’s Parental Rights in Education law, known as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, was signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis last year, allowing parents to weigh in about school lessons. The bill limits discussions on gender and sexuality in schools. Several other recent bills in the state seek to limit what is discussed in school settings – including one that limits teaching about menstruation.