teacher Under Pressure for Topless Photos

[Eran of Arcadia]

The Article

So a teacher, who it turns out is a lesbian, faces termination because her partner posted pictures of her on a web site with no shirt on. She is an art teacher, by the way. This is an independent site not affiliated with the school.

Okay, so I reserve the right to think that being a lesbian or having semi-nude pictures may be morally wrong. But this is an utterly ridiculous and indefensible position for the school board to take.

 

[silver 2039]

Indeed it is. This is a a grave breach of individual rights. The school board deserves a law suit.

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

On the other hand, she could turn this to her advantage if she is fired. Maybe some other, more "progressive" art school out there would pay her big bucks to teach.

 

[Riesstiu IV]

If I were part of that school board, I would need a few hours to examine the photos before coming to a decision. Most likely I'd give it two thumbs up!

 

[Sidhe]

On the other hand, she could turn this to her advantage if she is fired. Maybe some other, more "progressive" art school out there would pay her big bucks to teach.

Or model? Sounds like she has the assets to make a good art model? This could lead to a few pages in playboy too? There's money to be had in this sort of publicity.

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

If I were part of that school board, I would need a few hours to examine the photos before coming to a decision. Most likely I'd give it two thumbs up!

The photos are online somewhere. Not that I recommend it, and not that anyone could link it, but if you were determined you could probably find them yourself. Just saying is all.

 

[ironduck]

Prudeness runs deep and scary in the US.

Here's her website if you want to support her: http://www.myspace.com/mshoover

 

[Evie]

If I were part of that school board, I would need a few hours to examine the photos before coming to a decision. Most likely I'd give it two thumbs up!

Is "thumbs" supposed to be an euphemism here?

In any events, another disgraceful example of bankrupt over-moralization. No surprise from that corner, and no intelligence either.

"Imagine, all the higher life forms scythed away (...) Nothing but dust and fundamentalists" - Gaiman & Pratchett, Good Omens.

 

[classical_hero]

This is not something a teacher should be doing. Surely her girlfriend should have known better.

 

[ComradeDavo]

Generally I feel that work shouldn't intefer with someone's private life (except in exceptional circumstances, like drug use effected perfomance or whatever).

 

[Evie]

And why should she not do it?

Free country, hero. As long as SHE (not others, she) keeps the two separate, and both activities are within the bounds of the law (and posing topless is perfectly legal for adults, last I heard), there is absolutely no legitimate reason to forbid her from partaking in both.

 

[Perfection]

Is "thumbs" supposed to be an euphemism here?

Not unless he has two of them.

Well, I most certainly can see her case, however I can also see the case against her. By displaying this on another website, she puts herself and the school in a rather nasty position with regards to students checking out the photos, distrubuting them, modifying them, displaying them, and whatever. This may not be something that the school board wants to risk occuring.

 

[ComradeDavo]

The thing is that if you sit in the 'she shouldn't be allowed to do it' camp you are effectively saying that teachers must follow work guidlines in their private lifes, which is off putting and could potentially drive many people away from teh idea of becoming a teach and thus actually damage education.

From a UK perspective, teachers have it bad enough as it is already, so putting restrictions on their private lifes is just going too far.

How well is the Us doing in regards to teachers numbers? Is there a shortage at all?

 

[pboily]

Okay, so I reserve the right to think that [...] having semi-nude pictures may be morally wrong.

I think somebody's been hacking into your account and using it to post pictures in the Babe Thread. You should look into it...

 

[ironduck]

Not unless he has two of them.

Well, I most certainly can see her case, however I can also see the case against her. By displaying this on another website, she puts herself and the school in a rather nasty position with regards to students checking out the photos, distrubuting them, modifying them, displaying them, and whatever. This may not be something that the school board wants to risk occuring.

All this of course is based on the assumption that there is something wrong with being topless.

 

[ironduck]

I think somebody's been hacking into your account and using it to post pictures in the Babe Thread. You should look into it...

whoops!

 

[Elrohir]

Why is this ridiculous? If her "partner" posted them without her consent, and she took them down, then OK. But apparently that's not the case; and she seems quite proud of having her half-clothed body up on the internet. That's not someone I would want teaching me, or my children, if I had any.


Maybe if she taught class like that.... Just kidding.

 

[Truronian]

Wow, our school has it easy! Our head of drama is addicted to weed and is going out with an ex-pupil, one of our maths teachers lost a tooth breaking up a staff-room fight between a history teacher and a French teacher and a German teacher was once found sleeping naked in the lower staff room. Toplessness would be a welcome break...

 

[Low Tier Hero]

Because we all know theres an obvious correlation between partial nudity and the ability to teach.

I really hope the sentiment that what people do in thier private lives affects how they conduct themselves professionally goes away sometime soon, but I don't expect it to. What I expect is self-righteous people throwing around words like "character" and "decency" and "morality" like it has anything to do with the issue at all.

-An Idle Mind

 

[Perfection]

The thing is that if you sit in the 'she shouldn't be allowed to do it' camp you are effectively saying that teachers must follow work guidlines in their private lifes, which is off putting and could potentially drive many people away from teh idea of becoming a teach and thus actually damage education.

That's taking a very black and white aproach. Certainly teachers should be free to do what they want off hours including many many many things unacceptable at school. However, there are certain rare cases where they can act in a manner that can interfere with school life. I think schools should be able stop that behavvior in the rare instances of its occurance.

And really, I doubt not allowing the posting of oneself in the nude on public websites will have a significant effect on the amount of teachers.

From a UK perspective, teachers have it bad enough as it is already, so putting restrictions on their private lifes is just going too far.

We're not talking about putting in massive restrictions, we're talking about a couple of minor issues that need resolving.

How well is the Us doing in regards to teachers numbers? Is there a shortage at all?

Do you honestly think this will signifcantly effect teacher staffing numbers?