This is about that former teacher. Specifically, one Melissa Petro – an ex-prostitute turned grade-school art teacher whose news coverage has been pretty extensive.
Oddly enough… as long as she isn’t in the classroom singing the praises of her former career, as long as she isn’t dressing inappropriately, I don’t see her former career as a big deal. If she’s a good teacher, then she’s a good teacher. Apparently, the school’s administration – despite Ms. Petro no longer working in the industry – have decided she is “insufficiently contrite” about her former career (as noted in her Huffington Post piece regarding the shuttering of that particular section of Craigslist) and that she violated some “morals clause”, aka “conduct unbecoming a teacher”… by exercising her first amendment rights.
Meanwhile, what amazes me is the sheer amount of vitriol directed at Ms. Petro. You’d think she was a real nasty criminal or spreading germs around or something. And of course half of the politicians (including Michael Bloomberg) who were calling for her ouster have, let’s face it, their own long laundry list of nasty sex scandals that make anything Ms. Petro may have done look pretty tame.
Ms. Petro has resigned rather than go through the kangaroo court hearings process. CNN Video reports indicate that there may have been some “plea deal” or monetary offer from the Dept of Education for her to resign, which involves a prohibition on her filing a civil rights lawsuit against them – probably because the Dept of Education saw the case as generating nasty, bad publicity for them.
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6 Responses to That Former Teacher
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Those who can, do. Those who can’t, teach.
If she’s a good teacher, then she’s a good teacher.
Come on now, this is elementary-school art.
Anyway, I have no problem with the state barring someone who used to make their living illegally from teaching in public schools.
Anyway, I have no problem with the state barring someone who used to make their living illegally from teaching in public schools.
Intriguing. So you support punishing people without the benefit of a trial?
Those who can, do. Those who can’t, teach.
And those that can’t teach, substitute!
So you support punishing people without the benefit of a trial?
I agree with the thrust of your post, but I’m not sure the degree to which a trial is required if she admits to it.
So you support punishing people without the benefit of a trial?
Yes, if they admit guilt. No one made her tell others her former occupation.
And those that can’t teach, substitute!
LOL! I enjoy reading your substitute stories.
Yes, if they admit guilt. No one made her tell others her former occupation.
Maybe she knew the principal from her former *ahem* occupation and got the job that way.