An exploration of strategies in the context of art censorship practices in a secondary classroom

Censorship is problematic for public school teachers. There is no answer across the board regarding what is appropriate and what is not for the secondary level. This thesis examines ways in which art educators can address controversial material without taking it entirely out of a school curriculum. A scant amount of research has shared significant insight for teaching about controversial topics. Secondary art teachers can benefit from the application of instructional methods that effectively address controversial imagery found in art. Qualitative research was used to collect historical data and philosophical inquiry. An electronic survey was presented to nine art educators in order to generate a deeper knowledge about current teacher perspectives regarding decision-making for art censorship. Through research and data analysis, this thesis answers the inquiry question: "What instructional techniques, strategies, or methods can be effective in addressing controversial imagery in the secondary art classroom?".