Stacie Halas, a 32 year old former middle school science teacher and ex-porn star, was fired in April from her job at Haydock Intermediate School in Oxnard, California when it was brought to the administration's attention that she had performed in several pornographic movies in a 9-month span, between teaching jobs. An appeal to this termination was filed, and on Wednesday, January 16th of 2013, her appeal to get her job back was unanimously denied by a three-judge panel.
Judge Julie Cabos-Owen, one of the judges on the panel, stated that such a past matters, in an age when technology makes porn easy to access and hard to bury.
Of the appeal, Ms. Halas' attorney, Richard Schwab said "We were hoping we could show you could overcome your past... I think she's representative of a lot of people who may have a past that may not involve anything illegal or anything that hurts anybody." During the appeal, Schwab said "Halas did not star in pornographic movies while teaching in any district, she took parts only during an eight-month period from 2005 to 2006 because of financial problems after her boyfriend abandoned her."
Ms. Halas will not be re-hired by the school district, though in my opinion it is unlikely that she will be hired in any district as a teacher again due to the negative publicity.
Jeff Chancer, the district superintendent said of the matter: "Halas' decision to engage in pornography was incompatible with her responsibilities as a role model for students." Mr. Chancer applauded the panels decision to deny her re-hire.
Judge Julie Cabos-Owen, one of the judges on the panel, stated that such a past matters, in an age when technology makes porn easy to access and hard to bury.
Of the appeal, Ms. Halas' attorney, Richard Schwab said "We were hoping we could show you could overcome your past... I think she's representative of a lot of people who may have a past that may not involve anything illegal or anything that hurts anybody." During the appeal, Schwab said "Halas did not star in pornographic movies while teaching in any district, she took parts only during an eight-month period from 2005 to 2006 because of financial problems after her boyfriend abandoned her."
Ms. Halas will not be re-hired by the school district, though in my opinion it is unlikely that she will be hired in any district as a teacher again due to the negative publicity.
Jeff Chancer, the district superintendent said of the matter: "Halas' decision to engage in pornography was incompatible with her responsibilities as a role model for students." Mr. Chancer applauded the panels decision to deny her re-hire.
I personally think the appropriate decision was made. A teacher is supposed to uphold a specific kind of standard and plain and simple, if you can't, you can't. Teaching is a very special career, not one that can be treated like most. I think it's unrealistic to think that an ex porn start might be the best role model for any student, especially in sex education -- unless she happens to be Shelly Lubben, speaking out AGAINST pornography.
what i dont get is why does her past dictate whether or not she was a good teacher?
If this is the case of how the internet makes porn easily accessible, should any teacher who made a person sex tape or took photos (that have been posted on the internet) be fired from their position? Because there are plenty of teachers/public officals/etc who post regularly on amatuer sites.
Every one comes from different walks of life. I would rather have a teacher who has life experience teaching my children then someone who is so stuck in their ways they dont see anyone else's way of living as being right or acceptable.
This is a severe injustice in my opinion. I hope that she will be able to continue teaching and becomes a teacher the parents and students love, because of her teaching abilities, not ran out of town because she decided to do something years before she met them.
I really wish someone would dig into the judges past. Really everyone has something they are ashamed of. How dare they! How did this effect how she did job, unless se was showing her porn the class not at all.
This is stupid. If you're going to fire someone for doing porn, you'd have to fire everyone who's ever had sex. It's no different.
Valid points from everyone. I knew this particular topic would be somewhat controversial, but I felt that it needed to be brought to the community!
The thing that gets me about this particular story is that she did it between teaching jobs. For me, its one thing to have it in your past, you were young, and all that but this was someone who knew she wanted to be a teacher, had been a teacher, and planned to be a teacher again. I cant say i would want my son's teacher to be someone who had recently done porn, or may do it again at any time.
Well AwesomeAmanda, think about this: How would you feel if you were fired because someone found out you review/use sex toys? I realize toys aren't as extreme as actually APPEARING in porn, but still.
Personally I don't think it should matter what she did as long as it's not illegal. She starred in a few porn films as she needed money to survive as wasn't currently teaching (let's not even get into how little teachers in some districts make, especially substitute teachers). Last I checked being a porn star isn't illegal. It may not be the most upstanding/moral job to have, but it's not illegal either. As long as she's not telling her students about her brief career as a porn star, talking about the films she was in, or showing them the films, I fail to see how/why this should affect her teaching career. I honestly doubt that she will be hired anywhere as a teacher, however I think that just says something about how closed minded our society is.