Portland Teacher Gets Suspended For Showing Students A Frida Kahlo Documentary

Turns out Portland Public Schools consider Frida Kahlo’s art too sexual and violent in its nature. An unnamed teacher in the area got suspended for showing a PBS documentary titled “The Life and Times of Frida Kahlo” to teen students who were part of a program for those in “federal immigration limbo.” Portland resident Jennifer Lewis took to her Facebook to slam their actions saying, “To me this is unacceptable. Censoring art and books that our children have access to is NOT ok.”

Portland Teachers Association President Gwen Sullivan, changed her Facebook profile picture to one of Frida Kahlo three weeks ago. "It's just the most ridiculous thing," Sullivan told Willamette Week. “It's ludicrous.” The 2005 documentary even comes with an educational guide, and does recommend it be shown to students from grade 10-12 since it deals with “mature themes such as sexuality, miscarriages and illness.”

However, a district source says the teacher has been reinstated on the district's official list of substitute teachers and reportedly received 11 days of back pay.