Reinstate Aurora Berger to her position as Art Teacher at Newton School
134 Comments
G
Glenda Botsford
3 years ago
One parent's concerns should not be allowed to be cause for censorship, and there needs to be some right for a private life separate from one's professional life. Plus, frankly, bodies are not inherently obscene. Artists have always depicted nudes and they are regularly displayed publicly. This action seems to have been arbitrary and fear driven.
D
Danette Harris
3 years ago
I support Aurora and her work wholeheartedly and ask that she is reinstated at Newton, please.
S
Sherry SaintGermaine
3 years ago
I am horrified that this has happened at our Newton School. We are not Florida. We are not Texas. Am I to understand that this was an anonymous complaint? They didn't have the nerve to sign it? Nudity? What nudity? I saw none of it in Aurora's portfolio. This person should see mine!
As a former Newton School Mom and art teacher, this is sickening me. I do not understand all the politics, but this decision is horrifying. Aurora is a treasure for Newton School. Think again. Authoritarianism is not a good look on us.
S
Shari Rutz
3 years ago
I support her reinstatement.
A
Anne Peyton
3 years ago
sounds like the supervisory union made a mistake - please reinstate her. Let's keep this decision local to Strafford.
C
Chip Hedler
3 years ago
Featured
Having worked with Aurora Berger at the Newton School, I have the utmost respect for her professionalism, her dedication to and respect for students, and her sense of how art enhances humanity.
C
Colleen Lee
3 years ago
Shame on the school board for making this decision not public, and for stopping art education by a practicing artist. Not what I would hope or expect from Vermont schools
S
Sheelagh Maythem
3 years ago
✅
B
Brett Tofel
3 years ago
This is really surprising to me given that I know the SU has excellent staff. I could be wrong, but I think The Mountain School is a private school in Vershire, not part of the SU. I have so many questions:
1) Why would we give any weight to what some anonymous parent at a non-SU member school thinks?;
2) Why would we (Newton) lose what sounds like a great teacher over this?
3) Why would we infringe Aurora's freedom of expression in this manner? Her outside art is not related to her work.
4) If this is truly about lack of licensing, why isn't she being kept on while she cures it? This is certainly an option that has been used in the past to allow good teachers to keep teaching our kids while they get their licensing done.
A
Andrew Berti
3 years ago
Aurora is an amazing person, a talented teacher, and a credit to the school. That should be all that's necessary.
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Niko Horster
3 years ago
So an anonymous tms parent called the SU and that lead tonthis. TMS is a private school.notngoverned by the SU. Why does a parent from.an unrelated school w no ties to strafford have this effect.
What you do outside of school.is.your business.
S
Sean Ta
3 years ago
Art is essential ...also subjective...the parent has a problem...not the teacher
R
Rebecca Bailey
3 years ago
It is so wrong to let this sort of parent comment have weight.
S
Samantha Wolf
3 years ago
Wouldn’t you WANT an insightful and talented artist teaching youth? How dare an artist ever capture the image of a nude human form - unheard of! Gasp!
J
Joy Mills
3 years ago
Ms Berger is a wonderful professional instructor who has had a large influence on my grandson’s (Connor Christie) creative expression.
T
Tom Martinez
3 years ago
Aurora is an excellent teacher and should be reinstated as soon as possible. Removing her from that position is a loss to the community at large.
K
Kathleen Brice
3 years ago
Featured
I've witnessed this teacher bring out the creative side of my granddaughter along with inner happiness.
There's a teacher shortage and they fired/let go a beloved teacher?
Why ? This move was disgusting.
T
Tom Kinder
3 years ago
Aurora's art is beautiful and deeply meaningful in relation to her disability, and also reminiscent of Alfred Stieglitz's nude portraits of Georgia O'Keefe and Edward Weston's nude portraits of Charis Wilson in natural settings similar to Aurora's.
N
Natasha Haugen
3 years ago
Reinstate Aurora Berger as the art teacher at Newton School. She is a top quality teacher, as well as artist, with a treasure trove of value to offer her students. She truly cares about her students, ensuring they have the best art education experience.
A
Adrian Doyle
3 years ago
As a Newton School alum, I was so lucky to have art and music classes (thanks Ms. Loeffler and Sharon Groblicki!). I didn't realize the value at the time, but this exposure had such a huge impact in my later life. Kids need creative expression.
One parent's concerns should not be allowed to be cause for censorship, and there needs to be some right for a private life separate from one's professional life. Plus, frankly, bodies are not inherently obscene. Artists have always depicted nudes and they are regularly displayed publicly. This action seems to have been arbitrary and fear driven.
I support Aurora and her work wholeheartedly and ask that she is reinstated at Newton, please.
I am horrified that this has happened at our Newton School. We are not Florida. We are not Texas. Am I to understand that this was an anonymous complaint? They didn't have the nerve to sign it? Nudity? What nudity? I saw none of it in Aurora's portfolio. This person should see mine! As a former Newton School Mom and art teacher, this is sickening me. I do not understand all the politics, but this decision is horrifying. Aurora is a treasure for Newton School. Think again. Authoritarianism is not a good look on us.
I support her reinstatement.
sounds like the supervisory union made a mistake - please reinstate her. Let's keep this decision local to Strafford.
Having worked with Aurora Berger at the Newton School, I have the utmost respect for her professionalism, her dedication to and respect for students, and her sense of how art enhances humanity.
Shame on the school board for making this decision not public, and for stopping art education by a practicing artist. Not what I would hope or expect from Vermont schools
✅
This is really surprising to me given that I know the SU has excellent staff. I could be wrong, but I think The Mountain School is a private school in Vershire, not part of the SU. I have so many questions: 1) Why would we give any weight to what some anonymous parent at a non-SU member school thinks?; 2) Why would we (Newton) lose what sounds like a great teacher over this? 3) Why would we infringe Aurora's freedom of expression in this manner? Her outside art is not related to her work. 4) If this is truly about lack of licensing, why isn't she being kept on while she cures it? This is certainly an option that has been used in the past to allow good teachers to keep teaching our kids while they get their licensing done.
Aurora is an amazing person, a talented teacher, and a credit to the school. That should be all that's necessary.
So an anonymous tms parent called the SU and that lead tonthis. TMS is a private school.notngoverned by the SU. Why does a parent from.an unrelated school w no ties to strafford have this effect. What you do outside of school.is.your business.
Art is essential ...also subjective...the parent has a problem...not the teacher
It is so wrong to let this sort of parent comment have weight.
Wouldn’t you WANT an insightful and talented artist teaching youth? How dare an artist ever capture the image of a nude human form - unheard of! Gasp!
Ms Berger is a wonderful professional instructor who has had a large influence on my grandson’s (Connor Christie) creative expression.
Aurora is an excellent teacher and should be reinstated as soon as possible. Removing her from that position is a loss to the community at large.
I've witnessed this teacher bring out the creative side of my granddaughter along with inner happiness. There's a teacher shortage and they fired/let go a beloved teacher? Why ? This move was disgusting.
Aurora's art is beautiful and deeply meaningful in relation to her disability, and also reminiscent of Alfred Stieglitz's nude portraits of Georgia O'Keefe and Edward Weston's nude portraits of Charis Wilson in natural settings similar to Aurora's.
Reinstate Aurora Berger as the art teacher at Newton School. She is a top quality teacher, as well as artist, with a treasure trove of value to offer her students. She truly cares about her students, ensuring they have the best art education experience.
As a Newton School alum, I was so lucky to have art and music classes (thanks Ms. Loeffler and Sharon Groblicki!). I didn't realize the value at the time, but this exposure had such a huge impact in my later life. Kids need creative expression.