The debate surrounding the right to freedom of sexual expression in the modern society is quickly gathering storm especially in the learning institutions where children, as well as college, attend their studies on a daily basis. Questions are being raised on whether public awareness in the form of sexual expressionism through the exhibition of arts is an appropriate measure towards cautioning students or is it just source of sexual provocation to viewers (Egland). On March 2009, the interim dean of the Bowling Green State University at the Firelands campus removed a sculpture that represented a piece of art that depicted a sexual act that involved a male teacher and female student.
The sculpture which was created by an artist Mr. James Parlin who is a professor of art at the Edinboro University and has pursued a bachelor’s degree in religious thought and a master of the fine art. His piece of art who title read, “the middle school science teacher make a decision that he will live to regret” (Chris Myers). It showed a female student who was belonging to the middle school bending on her knees engaging in an oral form of sex to a male science teacher who taught at the middle school.
The institution in a statement issued as a response to the student outcry over their move acknowledged their recognition of the right to freedom of expression and especially through art as a mode of communication. However, they defended their decision to pull down the sculpture due to the commitment to their sole responsibility of ensuring that children, as well as their families, do not get exposed to inappropriate and explicit materials (Associated Press).
The removal of the sculpture subsequently led to the complete closure of the entire exhibit of the Little gallery by David Sapp who is a professor of arts and the director of the gallery in protest of the action by the university (Lane). The National Coalition on Censorship expressed their displeasure over the withdrawal of the sculpture terming the move as a serious violation of the right to freedom of free speech. It is also questionable why the university decided to take such an action because Mr. Parlin who is the artist who created the sculpture have also made several exhibitions of the sculpture in other venues without receiving any criticism from the management.
It is, therefore, a prevailing opinion that the university indeed overstepped in its mandate by infringing on the right to free speech of Mr. Parlin. They also denied the student and the general public from accessing knowledge and learning from the message conveyed through the exhibition of the sculpture (Egland). According to Mr. Parlin, arts provides the convenient mode of communication to individuals who cannot understand the language of metaphors.
Therefore, in my opinion, it was not necessary for the interim dean of the University to decide to remove the sculpture as a way of exercising responsibility for the kind of content that the students, as well as the general public, are exposed to. The piece of art by Mr. Parlin provides a warning to the teaching staff as well as students against making a decision that would prove costly to their lives later in the lives (Chris Myers). The decision by the male teacher to engage in a sexual act with a female student shows lack of moral conduct by the teacher in his relations with his students. It further illustrates his inability to exercise self-control and restraint in his interactions with students. He lacks respect for the dignity of the female student he seduces and convinces to engage in the act of sex while dispensing his duties as a teacher to the female student. The male teacher represent s a bad example to the students by not leading them towards the right moral path (Lane).
The piece of art exhibited by the art professor, Mr. Parlin provides a unique opportunity for the students and the general public to understand the consequences of poor decision making in life. They acknowledge, the importance of exercising restraint in their moral behaviors in their interactions within the school environment and their community during off school hours (Associated Press). Further, the sculpture serves as a precautionary measure for members of the teaching staff who may also be tempted to interact similarly with students in the learning institution.
Thus it is entirely wrong for the university administration to decide to withdraw the sculpture from the exhibition view by the students. The move is against the spirit of the colleges and universities in the United States which are often regarded as centers that promote free expression of ideas and opinions (Chris Myers). Although it is also worth notice that students are also human beings who are entitled to certain beliefs that might infringe on each other’s rights, the removal of such a sculpture only represents a retrogressive approach towards achieving a free-thinking society with tolerance to dissenting views.
The only right way to bring to an end to undesirable sexual behaviors from the society is by exposing to criticism by the public. Regardless of whether this form of expression trigger provocation, there is need to bring this to an open forum where students earn an opportunity to learn their implications and work towards avoiding them in future interactions (Egland). It is a sign of complete hypocrisy for authorities to restrict that exhibition of sculptures that depict acts if sex while at the same time poster on abortion that are graphics are acceptable. Both forms of expression relay information to the audience and therefore contribute to education for those who come across them. The question of whether the sculpture is appropriate or inappropriate is a non-issue as long the forms of expression are within the right to freedom of expression and free speech without infringement of the rights of another person. Such sculptures should be encouraged and not just be allowed because they are created with the intention of upholding respect for cultural beliefs and the level of maturity of the audience.
Works Cited
Egland, Nicole. Self-Expressionism. Vanguard Portland State’s Student-run Newspaper. 3rd April 2009. Web.15th April 2018. http://psuvanguard.com/sexual-expressionism. http://psuvanguard.com/sexual-expressionism/
Chris Myers. James Parlin: The most talked about show that no one saw. SwampBubbles. 24th March 2009.Web.15th April 2018. http://swampbubbles.com/20090324/james-parlin-most-talked-about-show-no-one-saw
Associated Press. Ohio College removes sculpture showing sex act. NBC News.com.25th March 2009.Web. 15th April 2018. http://www.nbcnews.com/id/29880685/ns/us_news-education/t/ohio-college-removes-sculpture-showing-sex-act/#.WtKAS8RRXIU
Lane, Tahree. BGSU art exhibit closed in protest. The Blade. 21st March 2009. Web. 15th April 2018. http://www.toledoblade.com/local/2009/03/21/BGSU-art-exhibit-closed-in-protest.html
