Teacher Fired Over Nude Photos

[THL]

Texas Teacher Fighting for Job Over Topless Photos
Friday , June 16, 2006


AUSTIN, Texas — Until they found the topless photos, Austin High School officials considered Tamara Hoover an excellent art teacher with a knack for helping students find their creativity.

Now, she's fighting for her job.

The photos, which were posted on Flickr.com by her partner, depict Hoover in the shower, lifting weights, getting dressed, in bed and doing other routine activities.

Hoover said Friday the photos are art and makes no apologies.

"I'm an artist and I'm going to participate in the arts," Hoover said. "If that's not something they want me to do then I want to be told that. I don't feel as if I was doing anything that was beyond expectations."

Click here for the FOXNews.com Education Content Center

The school district said the photos were inappropriate and violate the "higher moral standard" expected of public school teachers. As she was escorted out of class last month she was told she's become an ineffective teacher.

The district wants to revoke her teaching certification, which would keep her out of Texas classrooms permanently. Hoover will appeal the ruling and is prepared to take the case to court, she said.

Hoover's abrupt dismissal highlights a new concern for employees: Your boss has Internet access, too.

"People don't realize when they put their entire diary out there, they're giving very private information to the public," said Kate Brooks, director of career services for liberal arts students at the University of Texas at Austin.

The photos came to light last month as a result of a feud over ceramics equipment with another art teacher, according to sworn affidavits. Students who had seen the pictures showed the teacher, who then notified school officials.

Austen Clements, one of Hoover's students, noted that many artists have nude pictures, including Georgia O'Keeffe.

"If Georgia O'Keeffe wanted to teach at Austin High, I don't think they'd say, 'No, you have nude pictures online,"' Clements said.

The school was attended by President Bush's daughters, Barbara and Jenna.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,199899,00.html

Now here is another article on the same teacher that points out that the teacher did not tell the students about the pictures - they found them on their own.

What I want to know is this (other than how many of you are going to be googling her name in approximately 10 seconds, if not already) should she be fired for photos that were taken of her and posted on another site?

[Parihaka]

She put them in the public arena, same as if she'd posted them physically on notice boards around the town.


Speaking of which, anyone found a link yet?

[bonehead]

Is it any wonder the Europeans are laughing at us. Pictures of someone's breast will not bring down the republic. Unless she signed a "no topless photo" clause, school officials should take it in the shorts as nudity and art are intertwined and always have been.

[Asim Aquil]

Somehow it'd be doubtful if she gave them off or people found them on their own.

It's a risk.

Being a teacher for minors she should know better. I want like her, but legally I think she's in the green. I mean its not like she can be registered as a sex offender and has to be kept away from children. If thats the case then all porn stars should not be allowed to interact with children casually.

But they are and she's not even a pornstar.

Of course its a risk since she might have given the link off to someone or the other to seduce some minor or something...

"Better safe than sorry" attitude mob parents would lynch her over it.

[THL]

They are topless photos. Thats it. Surely these kids have been a women's chest before and it is not as though she was teaching in the classroom topless. If she wants to go home and post some topless photos on flickr, i say go for it.

This would not be such a big problem if she were a man and, frankly there are some men out there who I think should be required to cover up their chests when they go out.

[sparten]

She a teacher. SOme of the first people who kids have crushes on are their teachers, and if they can go and find pictures of them online, then thats a problem.

[THL]

Originally Posted by sparten

She a teacher. SOme of the first people who kids have crushes on are their teachers, and if they can go and find pictures of them online, then thats a problem.

The first people kids have crushes on are celebrities and all that the kids have to do to find topless photos of them is pick a movie off their parents DVD shelf.

It is a womens chest posted on a photography website. It was not as though she were spread out on a billboard on the side of the highway. I really do not think this should have been made such a big deal out of.

[OrdinaryGuy]

This is stupid. What does her life outside school have to do with her life in school. As long as she doesnt teach nudity as art to her kids.. and is a model teacher.. whats wrong if she practises more adult art forms outside of school.

If kids want to access nudity.. they can get it. Period.

Also.. there is like a huge difference between pornography and nudity. If she was a part time pornstar in sex scenes with random men for money.. I might not like her to be teaching my kid. Mainly because of lingo or because she may not be as sensitive to sex that you should be when around kids. But if she is a model teacher that believes in nudity as an adult art form and publishes her own pictures what the hell is wrong with it

[667medic]

Can I have the link for the photos....

[THL]

Originally Posted by parihaka

She put them in the public arena, same as if she'd posted them physically on notice boards around the town.


Speaking of which, anyone found a link yet?

OH NO! She's "Topless"!

EEEEK! A bare shoulder!!

Another "topless" photo - the horror of it all!!


Now I have not gone through the photographers entire website on flickr because it got boring ater the first 60 seconds, but if the only "topless" photos are the ones I found above, then these people need to find something new to complain about. Since I did not find anything to be offensive, I have no problem saying knock yourself out.

[HKDan]

As a teacher myself, I have got to say that I feel this woman has not gotten a fair shake. She should be tearing the union rep and new one if those photos were anything but porn. Art and nudity go hand in hand. Always have. Furthermore a teacher should be allowed a private life. The most disturbing thing to me is that she was considered a good teacher before the scandal. Now there will be one less good teacher in a country that needs all it can get. I do not envy teachers in public schools in America. As an American and a teacher I dont even consider those jobs. They just arent worth it. If you are going to accept the pay that does not reflect your education, the long hours(if you believe that summer vacation is actually vacation you are out of your mind), a society that is pretty much actively hostile to you, and parents who more and more depend on you to do their jobs, then after all that you cant go home and expect privacy for your rare free moments? !@#$ that! But thats just my opinion.

[sparten]

Originally Posted by TopHatsLiberal

The first people kids have crushes on are celebrities and all that the kids have to do to find topless photos of them is pick a movie off their parents DVD shelf.

It is a womens chest posted on a photography website. It was not as though she were spread out on a billboard on the side of the highway. I really do not think this should have been made such a big deal out of.

THL, I understand that. But unlike celebraties she is a teacher, her students see her everyday. Also she is a teacher, there needs to be a certain respect between pupil and instructor, and with this that is lost. There is a reason why children do not see the sex act between their parents, to preserve a certain bond. I mean the above arguement about being able to see sex and nudity could also be used in my example.

[OrdinaryGuy]

Originally Posted by sparten

THL, I understand that. But unlike celebraties she is a teacher, her students see her everyday. Also she is a teacher, there needs to be a certain respect between pupil and instructor, and with this that is lost. There is a reason why children do not see the sex act between their parents, to preserve a certain bond. I mean the above arguement about being able to see sex and nudity could also be used in my example.

SEX and NUDITY are very different terms sparten. Please do not intermix them.

Nudity and art are very well intermixed and related. She can't be denied her right to express herself... outside school. As long as whatever she doesn't doest affect her character or teaching ability, and is perfectly legal.. why stop her?? You want to stop her because it damages respect? that is utter BS if you have studied in american schools.. It is very different from Pakistan sparten, trust me.

Teachers are respected for being good teachers... Students are aware teachers have a sex life.. students knows that their teachers are human and have sexual fanatasies too.. that doesn't diminish respect..

[THL]

Originally Posted by sparten

THL, I understand that. But unlike celebraties she is a teacher, her students see her everyday. Also she is a teacher, there needs to be a certain respect between pupil and instructor, and with this that is lost. There is a reason why children do not see the sex act between their parents, to preserve a certain bond. I mean the above arguement about being able to see sex and nudity could also be used in my example.

But she was topless outside of school hours. She was not topless during school hours, it is my understanding she did not promote the photos, and from what I saw they were not even that bad. Teachers are people, too and need to be able to have a life outside of teaching. She did nothing wrong in this case, I do not believe.

[dalem]

The Information Age presents new cultural and social challenges for everyone. It's stupid to view the pics online (at least the ones I flipped through) as porn, but it's also a little bit naive to assume these days that things one puts online are never going to be seen by people who might object to them.

A web page is not a photo album on the side table, it's a billboard. If you're in a position with certain expectations, even perhaps archaic expectations, then take a little extra care what you put up on that billboard.

-dale