October 25, 2006

Do teachers of art need unions?

Filed under: Labor by Leo Casey @ 3:09 pm

Today’s New York Times reports on the final disposition of the case of Texas art teacher Sidney McGee, a 28 year veteran of the classroom who was fired for taking her fifth grade students on a school approved trip to the Dallas Museum of Art. A student saw a statue depicting a nude human body [not exactly an unexpected occurence in an museum of art], his parent complained, and suddenly an entire school was being deprived of an accomplished, loved teacher of art. [Edwize first reported on this case here.]

The news is not good — McGee will not be returning to Wilma Fisher Elementary School.

Sara Meade is on target, as she usually is, that this case is an object lesson in the need for teacher unions. If Texas were not a right to work state that legally prohibited collective bargaining, if Sidney McGee had the due process protections a contract can provide, she would still would have her job, and her students would still have an accomplished teacher of art.

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  • LET ART TEACHERS TEACH! By Phyllis C. Murray

    “Every child is an artist. The problem is
    how to remain an artist once he grows
    up.”Pablo Picasso Spanish Cubist painter
    (1881-1973)

    Each day, Ms Hidalgo, a very gifted and talent Artist in Residence at P.S. 75X, is meeting this challenge with an amazing rate of success. Her students are creating extraordinary works of art under her direction. Surely, because of her dedication every child is an artist.

    Ms Hidalgo has been an artist all of her life. She began exhibiting at the Asian Society Museum at age 14; she became a painter/illustrator for “Revista Aerea,” an international magazine at age 18; and illustrated CD covers for Latin Artists prior to graduating from the Parsons School of Design with a B.A. in Illustration Art History.

    Ms Hidalgo, an Ecuadorian native, brings a wealth of experience into the classroom. Her skills and abilities include repairing etchings, lithographs, woodcuts of distinguished artist from the early 1600s through the present. Like a forensic scientist, Hidalgo reads watermarks, and distinguish real works of art from reproductions. And of course, as an artist/illustrator, Hidalgo found much to be done while working for Phyllis Lucas at “The Old Print Center.” Ms Lucas was the first and largest publisher of Salvador Dali lithographs in the world. Therefore, this position enabled Hidalgo to work closely with Salvador Dali’s work. Today, Ms Hidalgo continues to work on sculptures, paintings, silk-screen, and etchings. In addition to the aforementioned, Ms Hidalgo is currently working on illustrating a picture book for children.

    The students of P.S. 75X are benefiting greatly by having a true artist in their midst. The children enjoy illustrating their picture books, crafting banners, and producing exhibitions in mixed media. Each year, large murals are crafted by the students, under Ms Hidalgo’s direction. The Multicultural Festival at P.S.75X provides a marvelous venue whereby students talents are showcased. Throughout the school year, the students are absorbing art History. They are also critiquing their own work as well as the work of their peers. Ms Hidalgo states the following: “I enjoy working with children and opening their eyes to new and fascinating art from around the world.”

    And certainly this love of art has been infused in Ava Cruz, Ms Hidalgo’s seven year old daughter. ” Art is very important,” continues Ms Hidalgo. “It opens up the child’s right side of the brain and makes the child a more perceptive and visual person. I enjoy art and I cannot see myself doing anything other than art. I especially enjoy working with acrylics. Having an Art Program at P.S. 75X is essential to the development of the child. It teaches children that there is a whole world beyond the perimeters of their school neighborhood that is filled with beauty. The world does not consist of only the South Bronx and its surrounding.”

    We applaud Ms Hildalgo for her ability to enable student to create works of art which enrich their lives as well as enrich the school environment. The Bulletin Boards come alive each month with a full range of paintings, sketches, and collages. These works reflect everything from the surreal to the sublime. Ms Hidalgo’s dedication to her students and her work with her students are worth of much praise and emulation.

    Yes, ” a thing of beauty is a joy forever.” And as the students paint and create in the genres of the old master painters, they are preparing to become the artists of the future. The have created a thing of beauty which they can share with the world. This is their own personal statement. They are having their say at an early age. And their medium of choice is Art. Surely, Ms Hidalgo has found the solution to the challenge Picasso proposed long ago. Yes, “Every child is an artist and can remain an artist. Ms Hidalgo personifies this fact each day. Adalante!

    Let teachers Teach!lET ART TEACHERS TEACH!

    Phyllis C.Murray
    Chapter Leader
    P.S.75X

    Comment by phyllis c. murray — October 29, 2006 @ 7:58 am

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