OK, So…
By GlindaLet me tell you about how I hate computer viruses. I had a doozy hit me on Monday evening sometime, and it was one of those where you couldn’t even start your browser to look for how the hell to get rid of it. I had two different antivirus programs running that didn’t catch the rootkit (which equals really bad) and it allowed eighty billion other trojans and other things into my computer. Man, did I have a headache for two days. But, all fixed now!
I read this article about a teacher at a California middle school who allegedly was in an “adult movie,” and was found out by some students, and placed on leave.
Now, I try to think of myself who is enlightened about the adult entertainment industry. I mean, it’s there. Boy, is is ever there. And I don’t have anything against adult entertainment workers, and indeed I am of the thought that prostitution should be legalized.
However.
As much as I hate to admit it, if I found out that this person was teaching my son, I don’t think I would react so magnanimously. I wouldn’t be calling for her resignation or anything, but I always think of what would happen if many years down the road my son were to see his former teacher in a certain type of film and what the psychological ramifications of that would be.
Maybe they wouldn’t be much of anything, but I just wouldn’t want to go there.
But then we get into the whole thing of private time outside of one’s occupation, and nobody wants to go back to the days when teachers couldn’t marry because that meant (gasp!) they would be having relations with their husband and ohmygod the world would explode. And of course, that didn’t happen.
I know it is unfair of me to think that the teacher probably shouldn’t have allegedly starred in that type of film, but I honestly can’t help it.
Let me know if I’m alone in my prudishness.
And let’s not even get into the fact that it was some students who tipped off administration about the teacher’s film exploits.
March 8th, 2012 at 3:22 am
I don’t think I would care. I would hope that my kids would not be watching that kind of stuff and therefore would not even deal with any potential psychological ramifications of seeing a teacher in an adult film.
March 8th, 2012 at 9:03 am
At least in Texas, teacher contracts have (or had) morals clauses. I know someone who lost his teaching job when he was busted for soliciting a prostitute.
If it’s in the contract, then definitely, the teacher should be fired.
Even if it’s not, well — I can’t imagine my former private-sector employer reacting too well to the news that I was appearing in adult films. What company wants to be known as the Widget Company That Also Hires Porn Stars? If you are sending someone out to try to close a big deal, do you want the potential customer to recognize the guy who was arrested for public intoxication last week? Companies shouldn’t be able to regulate what you do with your private life (stop telling people they can’t smoke off the job!) but when that private life has an impact on the job, then things are different.
March 15th, 2012 at 6:05 pm
Personally, I think the key part is that the students “found” it. Hmm… obviously, they were *looking*. What does that say?
This has more to do with our Puritan culture, and how uneasy parents can be that kids (even middle school age) even know that sex exists.
I don’t think what a teacher does outside of the classroom (including any previous careers involving consenting adults) should affect their job. At all. How does it affect their ability to teach, say, math? What if they are an award-winning teacher?
There’s a series of articles at xojane.com by a former teacher who was fired for similar reasons. It’s interesting to me to see that both of these teachers are female, as well. Policing women’s sexuality never gets old!