Teacher fired for starring in porn years ago

[Pb]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,235410,00.html

"Dye, 33, was a science teacher and volleyball coach in good standing at Reidland High School in Paducah, Ky. But in April of 2006, it's rumored that several students got their hands on a copy of a video Dye was in, and a resource officer at the high school notified the superintendent. Officials verified that it was, in fact, Dye on the tape.

"School officials immediately suspended Dye, banned her from school property, and as a non-tenured teacher, told her soon after that her contract would not be renewed. She didn't receive a public hearing on her dismissal because she got paid for the duration of her contract."

"In her early twenties, the single mother filmed several adult movies under the stage name "Nikki Anderson." Later, she joined the Army and used the GI Bill to attend college, where she graduated at the top of her class."

Should the school commend her for overcoming her troubled past, or should the school remove her from the disrruption her past has caused?

[PhineasFreak]

wtf has starring in a porn film past or present got to do with whether someone should be a teacher or not?

[Yellowfin]

How do they hold up to their own standards by watching the movies to find out? And further, what business is it of theirs in the first place? I absolutely can't stand self righteous prudes.

[Lotz]

I wonder how many parents could hold up their hands to admitting that they had watched porn.

Anyway she's better off out of education ... full of bigwigs and Know-it-alls.

At least she has another profession to fall back on!

[ChEeZeBaLL]

yeah that doesn't really seem fair.

[<=M=>]

I think that firing or laying somebody off because of decisions they have made in the past is poor judgement on their behalf.

If one has changed their ways, or cleaned up their act, and in no way should something in the past effect their ability to do their job, or influence their job than .. all is fine and well.

However I do understand the schools decision for doing this. Yes, it's unfair, because all she did was .. make an adult film. yea yea it's a porno. But the school has it's right to "protect" it's students. (no they can't protect what each student does or doesn't do, and no they cannot make sure every student acts right etc.. etc.. // this is a whole other topic, however they do have the right to protect their students by protecting their "school image".)

Not having a public hearing was pretty shady as well. I think she is at least entitled to do that, and to state her case. It also is a shady situation because it seems and looks like she was/is a great teacher. Making a porno tape years ago shouldn't or wouldn't effect the way you teach your students.

But I feel the reason the school let her go is because of this.

Imagine your back in highschool, or if you are, imagine this scenario. You find that ONE of your teachers starred in a porno some years ago. You and your buds get a hold of the tape, and of course watch it.

Now whether this would happen or not, there is a chance that harassament or other such things could happen between teacher / student and vice versa. Think about it. It would not do any good for the student, for the teacher, AND/OR the school. Thus this is why the school let her go. To harbor any harassament or unwanted attention that the school didn't need.

LOL the irony is that because of this the school is now getting plenty of attention. But I'm sure they are willing to handle this attention versus the other.

[Mr. Pink]

I agree with <=M=>.
Maybe someone else knows who has worked in a school system... but I'm wondering if a question of sexual escapades regarding the past would be something asked on a job application for her position. It may be possible that having appeared in an adult film excludes you from consideration right from the start.

Either way, it becomes infinitely more possible, even likely, that she won't have leverage over her students. One has to remember what that tape represents to someone in a position of authority.
The other aspect regards safeguarding the school. Her judgement regarding sexuality has been questioned. Can you imagine the backlash if sometime after this she were actually charged with sexual misconduct/statuatory rape/etc later on?

It sucks and it's unfair. If she was able to overcome tough odds it would seem best to applaud her for it....I would imagine, if asked, her collegues do applaud her. But it's a black mark nonetheless.

[marensman]

I agree w/ last 2 posts. it sucks for the teacher, but really the only choice for the school system.

[DJ Xenomorph]

Heh I'm not surprised. Kentucky has a high number of religious people which does not bode well for this teacher.

I think she should get her job back despite what she did a decade ago. We are all human and make ill choices that we later regret, but learning from them and moving forward in a positive direction should be more important.

[PhineasFreak]

i still have yet to see a post that explains why it is considered by some to be an acceptable action by the school. what justifies their behaviour? since when does being sexually active on camera pose any threat to students?

[Mr. Pink]

I don't think anyone is saying she is a threat to the students.
Outside of that...just try to imagine any number of ways students, faculty, or parents could try to manipulate that information into getting what they want.
If you can't come up with any justifiable reasons for concern at that point then I would ask that you at least address some of the issues either <=M=> or myself brought up. I thought those seemed to be pretty valid points.

[StarkRavinMad]

I just heard about a NH teacher that's been put on administrative leave while they figure out what to do with him. Apparently he sells paintings that he makes by smearing paint around with his ass or privates.

And on the other side of the coin I know a middle school music teacher that has been a Chippendales dancer for over 5 years and the school is fine with it.

[StarkRavinMad]

Originally Posted by Mr. Pink

I agree with <=M=>.
Maybe someone else knows who has worked in a school system... but I'm wondering if a question of sexual escapades regarding the past would be something asked on a job application for her position. It may be possible that having appeared in an adult film excludes you from consideration right from the start.

I totally understand what you're saying, but if you've done nothing illegal, it's no more significant than your religious affiliation, whether you're homosexual or not, or if you sit around the house naked on sundays. It is not the teacher's responsibility to keep adult material out of children's hands, it's the parents'.

Either way, it becomes infinitely more possible, even likely, that she won't have leverage over her students. One has to remember what that tape represents to someone in a position of authority.
The other aspect regards safeguarding the school. Her judgement regarding sexuality has been questioned. Can you imagine the backlash if sometime after this she were actually charged with sexual misconduct/statuatory rape/etc later on?

If she's a strong (mentally) person, she'll have all the leverage she needs. If a student makes inappropriate comments they should be disciplined. Beyond that, she is there to teach a given subject, their performance on homework, quizzes, and tests are written proof of how the student performed. As for the backlash if she were charged, yeah that would be bad, but assuming that will happen really is punishing a person for something they have no proven predisposition to do.

It sucks and it's unfair. If she was able to overcome tough odds it would seem best to applaud her for it....I would imagine, if asked, her collegues do applaud her. But it's a black mark nonetheless.

If the school is so concerned with it's image, they should be concentrating on the quality of the education and not the teachers' legal private lives.

I know that all sounds idealistic, but it shouldn't. If we were a functional society that would be realistic.

[<=M=>]

Originally Posted by PhineasFreak

i still have yet to see a post that explains why it is considered by some to be an acceptable action by the school. what justifies their behaviour? since when does being sexually active on camera pose any threat to students?

What may seem acceptable by the school is different to you PF // I feel that the school's actions were completely justified and rational. While having sex on camera, and having the schools' students view it, is NOT an immediate threat to the students. However it is a threat to the school's creditability, and this video would play a HUGE part in standing in the way of a students education. This is why the school intervened.

A public schools main purpose and goal is to teach and educate it's students in a controlled and respected manor. How would this video or teachers actions intervene in a students education?

Think about it .. like Mr. Pink said, the school had to deal with this situation by letting the teacher to go prevent any unwanted negative attention towards the students, parents of the students, and/or teachers themselves. Just think of how this could have been manipulated between the student, and/or the teachers.

While some people may not want to hear it. The bottom line comes down to this. Having a teacher with the rap of making adult films does not enhance, nor does any good to the school's image, creditability, or overall well-being. While this teacher did change the course of her future, and apparently had an excellent teaching record, it's a shame that this "caught" up with her, and now will cost her—her job.

While it may not seem fair, or the actions of the school justifiable to you, I feel that what they did was completely reasonable.

[PhineasFreak]

so essentially whether you agree with the schools behaviour boils down to whther you agree with the teachers behaviour? you find it impossible to separate your own opinion of acceptable behaviour with that of what may actually be of any real relevance, in the same way as SRM suggests that perhaps homosexuality orreligion might be (un)acceptable?

[Lotz]

Question ... was she a good teacher? How does her past bear any relevance on her position as a teacher?

I know only too well how the education system can frown upon things that happened in a teachers past.

But at the end of the day if she could teach well what is the problem?

It's not like she killed anyone for crying out loud. She was doing what she needed to do to survive. When she got the chance she obviously took it and became a teacher ....

This is a sad sad world, where everyone loses. She's lost her job and probably the one thing that kept her going and her students lose out on a great educator.

[StarkRavinMad]

Originally Posted by Lotz

Question ... was she a good teacher? How does her past bear any relevance on her position as a teacher?

That is what it really boils down to. If I were a parent I would look at what my child had been doing for homework and tests, and I would want to talk to the teacher. If she was doing her job well and my child was learning from her, I would want her to continue. That's all it takes. If the parents are willing to invest some time in their child's education, and aren't stupid themselves, they can insure that the right thing is done. Administrators control the schools only because of the failure of parents to be a part of the administration.

[<=M=>]

Originally Posted by PhineasFreak

so essentially whether you agree with the schools behaviour boils down to whther you agree with the teachers behaviour? you find it impossible to separate your own opinion of acceptable behaviour with that of what may actually be of any real relevance, in the same way as SRM suggests that perhaps homosexuality orreligion might be (un)acceptable?

Do I agree with the teachers behavior? I personally could care less whether she made 1 or 500 videos. I'm sure that there are even parents, or teachers that don't care about her personal choices.

However what is relevant, is what she did does not "look" good, nor does any good for the school. It's a shame that her past-private life got caught up with her teaching life.

My personal opinion is this .. I feel what the school did wasn't rightly fair[in my first post I mentioned this. I feel it's very poor judgement on the school's behalf to let her go because of her PRIVATE LIFE and the choices she's made, however with that being said I understand why the school did what they did.

[PhineasFreak]

Originally Posted by <=M=>

However what is relevant, is what she did does not "look" good, nor does any good for the school.

and therein lies the crux of my confusion:

what does looking good have to do with the price of eggs? who gives a crap what looks good...

[didi]

Another part of the article:

Blankenship (attorney of Ms Dye) argues that Tericka did a great job of teaching the children at Reidland High School, and could be a positive role model for children based on the fact that she overcame a troubled past and became a success.

Dye said many students look up to her because they can relate to her rough upbringing and the struggles she has had to face.

"Students know that I was one of them, as opposed to a lot of teachers who come across as holier than thou. I can be a shining example to kids of someone who overcame their mistakes," she added.

I think she's a shining role model.

I also can't think of something unfair that can still be justified, I really don't get that.