Censoring art violates freedom of expression

By Carolyn Brewer
George Washington High School

The mission statement of George Washington High School is, in part, to create "a safe learning environment, which promotes student self-direction both academically and socially." But, is the school violating that statement by trying to limit our right to express ourselves?

Recently, the administration has taken it upon themselves to censor any "inappropriate" artwork in the classroom. This includes Amedeo Modigliani's "Nu Couche De Dos," (pictured above) which has been hanging in art teacher Olivia Turner's classroom for 10 years.

The painting features a nude woman. Her back is to the viewer, so that only her derriere - which everyone has - is showing. To comply with the administration's request, Turner gave the woman in "Nu Couche De Dos" a wardrobe change, adding a yellow paper bikini to the picture.

If the administration is so worried about students seeing the human figure nude that they feel the need to censor this piece of artwork, then shouldn't "inappropriate" models of the human body found elsewhere in the school also be censored?

What about anatomy/physiology, biology and other health and science books? They also show nude human figures. But I doubt they'd be censored because health and science classes are places for learning, which is more "important" to some than self-expression.

Now, let's pretend that the administration has every right to censor art work in school. What would happen to art history, then?

How would an art teacher discuss the art the Greeks created - primarily nude statues - without a model? How would she talk about Michelangelo's David? Would he be shown wearing a Speedo or shorts?

And what of Venus de Milo, the famous statue of a topless woman that portrays Venus, the Roman goddess of love and beauty? Would she be forced to wear a bra? But wait, by wearing a bra, Venus will be violating the school dress code; she would have to wear a short-sleeve shirt instead.

What right does the administration at George Washington High School have to censor works of art that have been around since 130 B.C.? High school students need only to look in a mirror to see the censorable parts of David or Venus de Milo. It seems as if the administration is ashamed to have artwork showing parts of the human body hanging in the art room.

Art is defined as "the human effort to imitate, supplement, alter or counteract the work of nature." What is more natural than the human body? No matter how hard the administration may try, they will never succeed in censoring art because art is everywhere you look.