Nude photo teacher to sue government over sacking

[romantico]

Posted: 7/16/08 at 10:45am

This is SO UNFAIR! I would love to hear what other teachers here at BWW think of this. Whats sad is,I can see the same exact thing happening here in the USA. The nude photo was very tastefully done and not at all graphic.

* They asked why I shouldn't be listed as a sex offender': Lynne Tziolas

Sydney teacher Lynne Tziolas, who was sacked after posing nude in Cleo magazine, is planning to sue the state government.

In May, the 24-year-old was fired from Narraweena Public School in Sydney’s north, after photographs of her and her husband Antonios were published in the sealed section of the woman’s magazine, as part of a story about couples and their sex lives.

The decision was eventually overturned - but Mrs Tziolas is seeking damages after the Education Department refused to place her back in her old position, and offered her jobs she isn’t properly qualified for.

Mrs Tziolas has told Chris Smith after she was sacked the Education Department asked her to sign a document to prove she wasn't a sex offender.

"The prohibited employers list is a list where, prior to becoming a teacher, you have to...say you have had not criminal convictions in the areas that they specify.

"I had done it beforehand, before I started teaching.

"As a result of everything that has happened the DET (Department of Education and Training), thinking they're following due process, asked me why I shouldn't now be placed on it."

She said the ordeal has taken a toll on her health and just wants the process to end.

(more)

http://www.livenews.com.au/Articles/2008/07/16/Nude_photo_teacher_plans_to_sue_government


Even the parents feel the school over reacted.

http://www.livenews.com.au/Articles/2008/05/21/Parents_demand_nude_teacher_is_reinstated

Updated On: 7/16/08 at 10:45 AM

[papalovesmambo]

Posted: 7/16/08 at 10:48am

it may be unfair, but she'll never have control of a classroom again when the kids are looking at pics of her vag.

yeah, and her comment "i'm on a lot of medication" in response to this horrid affair? please. did you really think no one was going to see you and that there would be no consequences to posing nude in a magazine?

Updated On: 7/16/08 at 10:48 AM

[SNAFU]

Posted: 7/16/08 at 11:07am

That is the picture they are talking about? Wow, I am amazed that the story wasn't about a teacher here in the US! Seems we aren't the only country with a knee jerk reaction to the unclothed human body.

[papalovesmambo]

Posted: 7/16/08 at 11:10am

that's not the only picture. that's the only one they could show.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 7/16/08 at 11:12am

In the past few years, there have been several female teachers who have been charged with having sex with their students. I think it's more than just a knee-jerk reaction from administrators. Any situation that remotely suggests that a teacher is not a morally sound person is going to be questioned.

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 7/16/08 at 11:15am

How is posing nude in a magazine tantamount to having sex with a student?

[SNAFU]

Posted: 7/16/08 at 11:20am

And having sex with you spouse is not morally sound? It is an article about sex in married couple relationships. OK so it is in front of a camera that is the one questionable aspect.
I would like to see the whole photo spread, just how graphic was it? Enquiring minds want to know.

[romantico]

Posted: 7/16/08 at 11:20am

Papa, no vag in the picture I saw. You mean there are others? Explain. How would the kids even know about the magazine? It was a sealed women's magazine. I mean, teachers do have lives outside the classroom. Before you know it if a teacher is seen at a political rally and the school board does like the candidate they will end up loosing their jobs.What if the teacher was a part time nude model for an art class at a local University. Would that be considered a violation also? The school board is way too controlling. I have a friend who gay and a teacher and the principal warned him that she does not want to hear people say they saw him at a gay pride parade. My point is, the school board feels they own you and this girl was let go for all the wrong reasons.

Where does a teacher having sex with her students come into all this Goth? Do you automatically equate a teacher posing nude MUST MEAN she wants sex from her student?

Updated On: 7/16/08 at 11:20 AM

[Mamie]

Posted: 7/16/08 at 11:29am

I don't know what the details of her sacking are but I do know that any teacher choosing to do this - whether they believe it's artistic or not - is showing incredibly bad judgement. I wouldn't want a person who shows that lack of common sense teaching my child.

Updated On: 7/16/08 at 11:29 AM

[papalovesmambo]

Posted: 7/16/08 at 11:36am

i'm going by what the article said, "photographs of her and her husband,"

how would the kids even know about the magazine?

yer kidding right? sealed magazines (wtf does that even mean)have never ever been known to get into the hands of children because kids have no interest in naked bodies.

rom, if i were you i'd take this up with the australian gov't. i hear they're lousy with neocon racist gay bashers.

she was reinstated. she appealed and the system worked. that's why it's there. but after this kind of attention, every kid in that school district and probably in all of australia has read her sex tips, seen her naked and know what sex acts she and her husband prefer. good luck comanding the respect of kids after that.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 7/16/08 at 11:49am

"Where does a teacher having sex with her students come into all this Goth? Do you automatically equate a teacher posing nude MUST MEAN she wants sex from her student?"

Please read my post again. The point I'm making is that school administrators are very jumpy over recent incidents. If there's even a hint of a morals problem, of course they are going to react in a strong manner. Posing nude and talking about personal sexual relationships in a magazine is not "the norm" for a person with strong moral values.

[romantico]

Posted: 7/16/08 at 12:15pm

Papa, what I meant was most kids do not have any interest in a woman's magazine, unless of course they know beforehand their are naughty pictures in there.

Like you said, its Australian government, but something tells me we would go by the same rules here in this country.

Apparently she did command the respect of her students. Their parents as well as they demanded her to be reinstated. Says a lot when the student's parents come out in your favor. They had no problems with it. Obviously they do not question her morales on the issue.

I also do NOT believe it shows poor judgment on her behalf. If this was Playboy or Hustler or an adult video then yes, but it was neither of those. It was a woman's magazine aimed at adults, not children. The photo was tastefully done not even really showing anything. It was not with her boyfriend but her husband. Sounds like because the school board is uncomfortable with it they are punishing her for making THEM uncomfortable. People freak out when it comes to nudity. They automatically equate it with porn and view it as being something vulgar.

Goth, I understood what you said. However, she did not discuss on school grounds or even the student news paper. This was a woman's magazine. Had nothing to do with her being a teacher. What if she was a librarian and the same thing happened? My point is the control factor. More often it seems to be women who fall victim to this. If it was a male teacher would it have been an issue?

Talking about sex is not considered being moral? Posing nude is not moral? Only prudish up tight snobs feel that way. I talk about sex with my friends and have even posted on other forums about it. Morals? OH PUH-LEASE! We have enough moral crusaders in the world and posing nude and talking about sex should not be a crime. You stretching trying to make a connection with this and sex with students.

Updated On: 7/16/08 at 12:15 PM

[papalovesmambo]

Posted: 7/16/08 at 12:31pm

oh, please. we'd burn her at the stake here and be done with it.

[romantico]

Posted: 7/16/08 at 12:33pm

Sad, but true. We have no problem showing the most horrific acts of violence on TV but if we see a flash of a tit then it is declared a state of emergency.Fine are paid. Apologies issued. Jobs are lost.All because we are a nation of whiners when it comes to the human body.I would rather my child see a nude body than a gruesome decapitation or murder any day.

Updated On: 7/16/08 at 12:33 PM

Posted: 7/16/08 at 12:57pm

When I was in school (long before the internets) we could tell you which teachers had beer bottles in their trash (really). There is no way this woman's nude photos aren't going to be passed around that school, even if she's fat and ugly.

Maybe I should say ESPECIALLY if she's fat & ugly.

[KelRel]

Posted: 7/16/08 at 1:15pm

There was a teacher in Kentucky who had stared in an adult film when she was 18. This was before she had even decided to go to college to be a teacher. She later went to school, got a teaching degree and began teaching and things were going great. A student was looking around and happened to come across her "film". Next thing you know every student in the school has seen her in all of her "glory" and she was immediately fired. This was something she had done long before she was a teacher, yet she was fired. Teachers are held to a high moral code and I think that we should be. Is the human body something to be ashamed of, no, but any teacher should think will this come back to hurt me if my students or administration find out about this? Teachers are supposed to be respected and looked up to, so once this is released to the public then all respect for the teacher, in the eyes of the students, is gone.

[romantico]

Posted: 7/16/08 at 1:58pm

If this teacher was in an adult film my attitude would be a lot different. Tasteful nude photos where nothing is really exposed in my opinion is no reason to dismiss a popular teacher. The school board should listen to the parents.If I had a kid and this happened and the teacher was good and well liked I would lead the charge. I would even consider taking my kid out of that school. This is all very petty and I honestly think if it were a man it would be looked at differently. As a guy, this story bothers me. Unless there are more details that come to surface,I think she should fight the school board with everything she has. Does Australia have something like our ACLU?

[etoile]

Posted: 7/16/08 at 2:10pm

You know going into many occupations that you are held to a very subjective higher standard and that your behavior off and on the job has consequences.

I'm not interested in a the teacher who is "liked" but want the teacher who can teach.

Updated On: 7/16/08 at 02:10 PM

[Jonny boy]

Posted: 7/16/08 at 2:13pm

I dont think any teacher should be fired if she had done nude pics in the past. I dont think it has anything to do with a persons teaching ability.
If anything I find it the resposablity of the parents to make sure that thier kids dont look at the pics.

[romantico]

Posted: 7/16/08 at 2:46pm

Well, I am going by the parents actions. They felt so strong about her and the dismissal that they demanded her job be reinstated. High standards, hell yeah. I agree. Since when is posing for an artful fine art nude considered being something of low standards? I guess it comes down to how each person views nudity.

This was off school property and the article was for adults.It wasn't a blog or a Myspace page that revealed something God awful. It was a magazine asking people to discuss some sexual details about their life. I can see almost anyone doing the same thing in any profession. It comes down to your employer taking over your life.

[bschneid76]

Posted: 7/16/08 at 9:19pm

I say who cares. There are many other issues that are way more important in our education than this. If children are finding these magazines it is the responsibility of the parents to know what their children are doing and looking at. It is not the responsibility of others.

As many have already stated. This country gets their feathers ruffled whenever the notion of nudity appears yet they don't bat an eye when murders occur on tv or in films. Who cares! It isn't as though the teacher was teaching the children how to pose for nude shots or something to that nature, that would be a totally different thing altogether. Our nation needs to get over it.