Carrasquilla touched down in Florence on Friday and visited the Galleria dell’Accademia with her family where the David statue resides.
Nardella was visiting New York City when media reports emerged of Carrasquilla’s resignation, and was quick to push back at the time against the outcry towards the former school leader.
“Mistaking art for pornography is just ridiculous … I will personally invite the teacher to Florence to give her recognition on behalf of the city,” Nardella wrote at the time.
“Art is civilisation and whoever teaches it deserves respect.
At the end of March, both Nardella and Cecilie Hollberg, director of the Galleria dell’Accademia, invited Carrasquilla to see the artwork as a guest of honour.
“This gesture (of granting an award) serves to show the whole world what Florence's beauty is and what Michelangelo's David symbolises,” Nardella said after meeting Carrasquilla, the former principal of Tallahassee Classical School.
“She is an example to all teachers and all students because art can never be considered pornography."
Carrasquilla said she was very much enjoying the visit.
“The thing that impressed me the most and that I didn't know, is that this whole gallery was built for him,” she said in a statement.
“I think it's beautiful, it looks like a church.
“And to me, that just represents really the purity of this figure and you see his humanness.
“And that's what I've always loved about it. There is nothing wrong with the human body in and of itself.”
Her 17-year old son, Quinn, who had to stay behind in Tallahassee due to his Advanced Placement exams, told USA Today that his family was loving their visit.
“They’re really enjoying it a lot, who wouldn’t enjoy Italy?” he said.
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