"Dennis, I teach middle school. I agree with your comments
and sometimes it is so hard to find that line of what is
acceptable and what is not.( for them, not me) I always
say if it promotes drugs, alcohol, sex or could be read as
being degrading to someone you can not do it here.
Renee Berg"
While I am known to push the envelope with my advanced
students, my beginners know this by heart, "taxpayers do
NOT want to pay for drug/alcohol or sex related art", and
I stick to it...unless of course it is a message the
school is promoting...i.e. just say no! As for the 'hate
crimes' thread, I would NEVER assign that as a theme for a
whole class, but if a student in my advanced class wanted
to tackle that theme in a painting/art work, they could,
provided the thesis statements and the many 'roughs' were
solid, thoughtful, and above all meaningful. These
'roughs' would naturally be critiqued by the whole class
before paint ever hit the canvas.
