Education

Florida Teacher Fired After Private Sex Videos Sent to School, Parents

Thirty-five-year-old Natalie Santagata was an elementary school teacher at Kingsway Elementary School in Charlotte County, Florida, for nearly a decade. But she was fired earlier this year after scandalous videos and images were anonymously sent to school officials.

The drama that cost Santagata her job started back in June 2011, when her employer received four photographs and five videos showing her performing “graphic” sex acts and purportedly smoking marijuana. Interestingly, these videos were filmed in private localities where no students or minors were present.

Still, although she passed her most recent drug test and despite the fact that she violated no laws with her behavior, the district was so disappointed that officials decided she needed to be let go. The Herald Tribune has more on the district’s response:

Superintendent Douglas Whittaker recommended Santagata’s termination based on “personal conduct (or misconduct)“ that ”clearly rises to the statutory standard of moral turpitude“ and ”demonstrably impacted your effectiveness as a classroom teacher in our district.”

Based on how the situation unfolded, it appears someone was out to get Santagata, as the images and clips, in addition to reaching the district, were maliciously sent to parents, through Facebook and some were even posted online. Steve Cummings, the school district security supervisor, wrote the following in a report:

“Clearly the anonymous sender or senders are motivated to cause great personal and professional harm to Natalie Santagata.”

Parents are divided regarding whether or not it was a good decision to let the teacher go. One parent defended the decision, saying, “It doesn’t mean that [her negative behavior seen on camera] ends there. It can carry on to the next day and control their behavior at school.”

But another parent, Shelia Spriggs, says the videos don’t paint a fair or full picture. Spriggs says, ”She was very passionate about her job she went out of her way to make the kids feel good and want to push forward.” WBBH-TV has more:

What do you think about this firing? Take our poll:

(H/T: Gawker)

Comments (276)

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  • Balthazor
    Posted on September 26, 2011 at 11:59am

    Anyone stupid enough to videotape themselves smoking pot and having sex is too stupid to be teaching anyone. We have enough smart, decent people that we don’t need to hand our kids off to an idiot loser like this one. Good riddance!

    Report Post » Balthazor  
    • melissa3080
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 12:30pm

      I agree, well said. Did you take the survey regarding the decision to fire her? I did and was taken back by the results. 61% think she should not have been let go. What is wrong with people?

      Report Post »  
    • Marci
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 12:36pm

      They were wrong in firing her on this one, especially given that many school districts will not fire teachers (or cannot) for their abusive behaviors actually in the classroom. However, why do people make videos of this stuff? Geez!!!!!

      Report Post » Marci  
    • Spec_B_GT
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 12:46pm

      i agree as well!

      Spec_B_GT  
    • ScreaminEagle
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 12:50pm

      Parents have a right to reject this behavior from teachers who are in charge of there children. Good-bye teach. Should be held to a higher standard.

      Report Post » ScreaminEagle  
    • Stone Cold Truth
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 12:51pm

      What’s wrong with you? It’s a free country. What she did was legal and intented to be private. Inappropriate, yes, but she never released these videos or pictures in public. If a spy cam caught you naked in your house and was distributed against your will should you be fired and branded with a scarlett letter? Had she openly had this filmed FOR distribution or had any student involvement then yes, fire her, but not this. Personally, I’d move somewhere else anyways after this, but it shouldn’t affect her career forever, unless she decides to run for President. What people do behind closed doors is their business.

      Report Post » Stone Cold Truth  
    • netmail
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 1:04pm

      The two biggest morals to this story are: 1. If you have embarrassing (or illegal) images of yourself), have complete control over them. and 2. Don’t get caught. Smoking pot is probably what did her in. I can’t help but feel sorry for her though as an obvious betrayal cut her to the core.

      Report Post »  
    • scott
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 1:09pm

      ummmmmmmm stone cold truth!!!!! She was smoking pot??????? Oh and by the way they should fire someone for living like a pig…..did you see her house?

      Report Post »  
    • Bluefish49
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 1:14pm

      I agree but to make a realistic opinion I’d have to see the video…..just saying..

      Report Post »  
    • Rowgue
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 1:36pm

      I can’t argue with that. If you’re dumb enough to make tapes of yourself having sex and doing drugs, you don’t really have any business teaching. The privacy argument doesn’t really fly. If she had kept it private then nobody would have ever known or cared.

      Report Post »  
    • rightwingheroes
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 1:38pm

      having sex privately, on your own time is bad mmkay

      Report Post »  
    • Chakam
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 1:56pm

      What Balthazor said.

      Report Post » Chakam  
    • CANTTAKEIT
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 2:03pm

      She broke no laws. I guess she was wrong morally. Who determines that? Not the Bible, church and state and all. She had sex. Oh my! The sex was perverse. Aww man if she was only gay. This person is the victim. This is sad. Lets make sure she has nothing. She should pay for the loss of her moral compass. Smoking I don’t Know what and having sex in her house with her boyfriend. Lets stone her. Some people on this site are FOOLS.

      Report Post »  
    • godlovinmom
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 2:27pm

      What you do on your own time is your business…filming it…that’s the stupid part…wonder how the school even got the photos…is what I want to know…I could care less what she does in her own bedroom. Tell me, how was she hurting the kids, if these were private videos. I can not imagine some of the crazy stuff some teachers do on there own time, does this mean, that NEA gets to come into every teacher’s home and make sure they are doing the right thing…I’m no fan of public school teachers, but come on this is invasion of privacy, plain and simple.

      Report Post » godlovinmom  
    • TomFerrari
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 2:28pm

      “she broke no laws”…
      REALLY?

      What do you call smoking pot? ON CAMERA!?!

      She clearly shows a lack of good judgement. That alone is reason enough not to entrust our children to her.

      Nobody gives a crap whether she had sex with another consenting adult.
      Videotaping it MULTIPLE TIMES, on the other hand, is simply MORE EVIDENCE that she lacks good judgement.

      Like it or not, teachers have a great deal of influence over our children. Our children look up to them and trust them.

      OUR CHILDREN DESERVE BETTER !

      Is it any wonder more and more people are home schooling?
      The left wants the public schools to be the teacher of morals and ethics; and yet, they do not want to assume any of the RESPONSIBILITY of being moral and ethical themselves.

      Report Post » TomFerrari  
    • Liberals R Douche Bags
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 2:37pm

      melissa3080

      Both of you probably do worse in the bed room. and how do you know she knew she was being taped?
      melissa3080 you mean to tell me you never did oral on a guy when having sex???? if not you must be a boring lay.

      Report Post » Liberals R Douche Bags  
    • AvengerK
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 2:40pm

      Apparently eveyone here has forgotten what it’s like to be a student. You all know very well that once this kind of thing goes public, the kids can find all this stuff readily. Her private life is her private life, but at this point, she’s compromised her authority over the students. There is no choice but to fire her for the sake of the students. I guarantee these pictures and footage has already made it’s way to the students. The woman is an idiot for filming her sex life in the first place.

      Report Post »  
    • goatrope67
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 3:05pm

      “Idiot loser”? Wow. It’s horrible to see that so many people agree with you on this, even with your overly harsh appraisal of a woman you never met. What other foibles do you have a problem with? If someone shops at Wal-Mart should they be able to teach? What if they wear white after Labor Day? This woman taped herself having sex. It’s her bedroom. She can do what she wants. And if she wants a tape that her and her lover can go back to afterwards to review their form, who cares? As for the pot thing…how many people on this site smoke pot? Probably quite a few. The only difference between the pot smokers that are passing judgment and this woman is her story hit the airwaves. The anonymity of the web has made it possible for us to sit in our ivory towers passing judgment with little to no regard for how others feel. Your post, proves it.

      Report Post »  
    • red1
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 3:25pm

      I would not have fired her. Other than maybe smoking pot nothing else she did was illegal, and her behavior does not compare to the actions committed by whoever sent these tapes around. The tapes were most likely stolen and then used in a manner that comes very close to blackmail. I don’t know if the actions of the person who distributed the tapes are illegal but they are certainly immoral. I would not punish her based on the immoral actions of another. That person’s actions were much worse than her actions.

      Report Post »  
    • KickinBack
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 3:26pm

      I’ve had a friend who was a teacher and was fired because she went out to a bar. One of her friends was filming on the phone and posted it on facebook. It eventually reached school officials and she was canned.

      People that say “Oh if this happens in private it could spill over into their professional life” apparently must all be saints.

      Report Post » KickinBack  
    • Hodar
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 3:26pm

      She apparently smoked SOMETHING – if it was pot, she would have flunked her drug test. As THC is an oil based drug, it hangs around for awhile. So, for starters saying she was smoking Pot is nothing but SPECULATION!! She could have been smoking unicorn tails as far as anyone knows.

      Secondly, she was having sex; and someone she trusted betrayed her maliciously. I suspect a fellow teacher as a boyfriend wouldn‘t know the parent’s Facebook account information.

      She is the victim, her trust was betrayed, something private was published to ruin her reputation professionally, and in true ‘Conservative’ fashion, people are kicking her while she’s down. I bet these people also get their jollies screaming ‘Whore’ outside a rape unit.

      Unless someone can show that she failed her drug test, what she was smoking is speculation. Could be hand-rolled tobacco with cloves – no one knows. Perhaps if we had spy cameras in everyone’s bedrooms, and published their sexual acts (solo or with friends/spouse) to co-workers and customers; others would learn the meaning of compassion.

      Report Post »  
    • AvengerK
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 3:30pm

      GOATROPE…so regardless of whether this woman’s sex life and drug use is now public knowledge, you feel she can credibly conduct a class of YOUR children at this point? She has given up her authority at this point. It doesn‘t matter if she wasn’t responsible for the footage going public, it’s out there now and these students can get hold of it. Please don‘t insult anyone by suggesting they can’t…you know full well that once this kind of thing gets out, kids can get hold of it. It’s likely all over the school. She can no longer excercise authority over those kids now that her libido and drug use has been made public. Is this beyond you?

      Report Post »  
    • ChiefGeorge
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 3:32pm

      So illegal activities tha tare now known have no bearing whatsoever on her ability to teach her class? So as long as its only smoking MJ and having sex on camera? Ummm? How about if it was cocaine or needle use, sex as well? Still illegal so where do you draw the line. What about her have swasikas in her home, doing Nazi salutes all the while having sex and doing drugs? Do we still keep her on the staff? You guys picked “No’ overwhelmingly seem to have missed the issue altogether and traded it solely on the grounds that it was a private matter. It was a private matter made public to those at the employment where she deals with children. Again are you out of your minds?

      Report Post » ChiefGeorge  
    • ME
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 3:39pm

      having rolled my own cigarettes in the past and smoked a pipe I find it hard to cast judgment on someone with what looks like it may be illegal with out some other evidence. Sex pictures taken with a spouse or lover are now grounds for termination when someone uses them for revenge. She is dumb but she also did not commit a crime I have issue with some guy calling a conservative a Nazi in front of students in a political display. I really believe what you do on your own time is your own time unless there are student present then you have a role model role and it is part of your job.

      Report Post » ME  
    • Servant Of YHVH
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 3:40pm

      @Balthazor & Melissa
      I voted that she should not have been fired based on this. I too believe that someone like that should in no way be teaching our children. But, firing her based on this still is not right. Just because she did something wrong does not make it right to get rid of her based on this. Like they say, two wrongs don’t make a right.

      Report Post » Servant Of YHVH  
    • goatrope67
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 3:49pm

      @Avengerk…no this isn’t “beyond me”. Don’t assume that just because my disagreement with you is in anyway indicative of a lack of understanding. I just do not feel this woman deserved to be fired for this. What you OBVIOUSLY missed though was the fact that my comment was generated by the incredibly harsh words of Balthazor. Referring to her as an “idiot loser” seems a bit harsh for a story like this. As for the video now being in the public realm, I can’t dispute that. The possibility that one of her students may find it is highly possible. But her “libido” and indiscretions do not keep her from being a good teacher. They just make YOU and the parents that agree with you feel that way. By all accounts this woman was a great teacher. But, it doesn’t matter now. The “moral turpitude” police have caught wind and she is fired.

      Report Post »  
    • Servant Of YHVH
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 4:10pm

      @chiefgeorge
      “What about her have swasikas in her home, doing Nazi salutes all the while having sex and doing drugs?”

      Or how about should she keep her job if someone sees her flying nude across the skies? The fact is that as far as anyone knows, she doesn’t have swastikas in her home or doing nazi salutes, etc. That would be like me saying that you should not be allowed to work where you are because you have swastikas in your home and you are doing nazi salutes while having sex and doing drugs. As far as I know you don‘t do those things so just because I say you you MIGHT be doing it doesn’t mean anything. You can play those “maybe if she did this or did that or is this or is that means absolutely nothing because as far as we know, that is not true.
      ‘You guys picked “No’ overwhelmingly seem to have missed the issue altogether and traded it solely on the grounds that it was a private matter. It was a private matter made public to those at the employment where she deals with children. Again are you out of your minds?”
      I don‘t believe that I’m out of my mind but when you play that “what if” game makes me wonder if you are out of yours. Like I said previously to someone else. Two wrongs don’t make a right. Try reading my other post.

      Report Post » Servant Of YHVH  
    • Libertyluvnmomma
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 4:36pm

      Martin Luther King says it best.
      This IS the content of her character. She would spend more waking hours with your child than you would.
      Wave the wand and squeak,”You’re fired”

      Report Post » Libertyluvnmomma  
    • Kalshion
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 4:52pm

      Wow, how sad people here are so quick to pass judgement on a person they don‘t even know or haven’t even bothered to actually look up. Personally, I dont‘ think this teacher should’ve been fired, there have been far WORSE things a teacher has done and ‘not’ been fired over. Also, based on how the video looks, I’m surprised no one here even got a clue: these look like hidden cameras staged throughout the house.

      What this mean? It means she was being videotaped POSSIBLY against her will, which also means that this was a setup. Granted, maybe she does smoke pot in her own home, but hey guess what? Thats HER private life, no one here has a right to tell others how to live their life.

      @Hodar

      “She is the victim, her trust was betrayed, something private was published to ruin her reputation professionally, and in true ‘Conservative’ fashion, people are kicking her while she’s down. I bet these people also get their jollies screaming ‘Whore’ outside a rape unit.”

      This conversative isn’t, so how about you not label all conservatives with the same brush. Or do I need to remind you that this administration (democrat run) can’t take responsibility for their own actions and have to blame others? (Credit Rating downgrade for example, instead of taking responsibility, they blame the Tea Party)

      Report Post »  
    • JQCitizen
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 5:16pm

      I agree with Melissa. The fact that she acted that way was bad enough. But to video tape it was not only narcissistic, but stupid and irresponsible. That she didn’t even think of the consequences that would redound to herself and her students is VERY TELLING and condemns her judgement.

      Report Post »  
    • richard bensen
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 5:17pm

      in the age of homosexual behavior and these people becoming teachers..and teachers who are commies teaching their views to young minds..i’d rather stay with this teacher….any day….

      /

      Report Post » richard bensen  
    • Wolf
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 5:23pm

      She should be fired? On what grounds? Videotaping sex or smoking something claimed to be pot- but was not disclosed in a drug test?
      What about the closet homos teaching your kids? They‘re OK ’cuz they aren’t on tape?
      What about the commie dems teaching your kids? They‘re OK ’cuz they aren’t on tape claiming socialism is better than freedom?
      Some of you people are so hypocritical you make avowed hypocrites seem normal.

      Report Post »  
    • Sail Away
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 5:31pm

      I still do not see what she did to warrant being fired? Is there a morality clause in her teaching contract? If so then let the rule of law decide. We are setting a very dangerous precedent when we fire someone for something they did on their own time. What if you get fired because your boss finds out you attend a bible study. He may think that makes you narrow minded and he bases his actions off of this case. I think we may all want to get the plank out of our own eye before we remove the speck from our “brothers.” Just sayinnnnnnnnnnnnn

      Report Post »  
    • Balthazor
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 5:41pm

      By the way people, videotaped behavior private behavior. Or for those C++ people, videotaped behavior != private behavior. Or for those people who have no idea what I’m talking about, once you videotape something it’s no longer private. Such is the nature of the world we live in today that ANYTHING you record can and will become public. And…anyone not smart enough to realize that is not smart enough to be teaching my kids. End of story.

      Report Post » Balthazor  
    • tower7femacamp
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 6:05pm

      Just think if she was preaching that God gave her special powers to read scripture thru
      her hat using a magic seer stone ????

      Report Post » tower7femacamp  
    • tower7femacamp
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 6:12pm

      How does anyone know if she even knew she was being video taped ????
      and did they confirm the Pot with a drug test ?????

      Report Post » tower7femacamp  
    • American Staffordshire Terrier Pit Bull Lover
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 6:26pm

      Oh hail the king, you are the ruler of this land? So she doesnt have the right to do what she wants with a video camera in her place? We dont have constitutional rights in the balthazor kingdom hu? Well last I had checked this was America, land of the free. You must have been there with her smoking some mary jane with her too to know that it was marijuanna right? I didnt think so.

      Report Post »  
    • Dinkiecb
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 6:51pm

      And who was “watching” the videos .. one of the parents?? where do they get off watching the video maybe they need their kid taken away…and how do you “KNOW” it was pot?? Where you there?? It‘s clear that if someone digs enough they’ll find “something” on anyone…what you do in your home on your time that isn’t illegal is none of ANYNODY elses bizness. Obviously it didn’t effect her work and as I say “who was watching” sounds like a pervert exposing porno to their kids to me

      Report Post »  
    • Carl McPherson
      Posted on September 27, 2011 at 2:42am

      Balthzaor… I wish we had a “Like Button” so I could click it on your comment.

      Report Post » Carl McPherson  
    • loriann12
      Posted on September 27, 2011 at 7:39am

      @Stone Cold Truth

      Actually, what she did was only half legal. Sex with her boyfriend was legal, but as of now, marijuana isn’t legal. And she was an idiot for filming herself doing it. If she didn’t do it at school or around children, it would be her own personal life, but the video could be made available to kids, thus it was wrong.

      Report Post »  
    • DanWesson455
      Posted on September 27, 2011 at 12:40pm

      They couldn’t prove marihuana. When I smoked I use to roll my own. Crocodile Dundee like. Was much cheaper and I didn’t smoke as much. As for the sex tapes. It is obvious they were suppose to be private. The kids didn’t have or did not see them. How would that affect them? All these parents have been doing the same thing in private for years. Maybe they didn‘t tape it but that shouldn’t matter. She did not have control over the release she was blackmailed and blackballed.

      Report Post » DanWesson455  
    • dr_funk
      Posted on September 27, 2011 at 7:29pm

      I hope nobody ever finds compromising photos or videos of you and sends them to your employer.

      Report Post »  
    • hyndsyte2020
      Posted on September 28, 2011 at 2:09am

      The article is unclear that she knew she was being filmed. If some jilted ex-lover took those videos without her knowledge, and posted them vindictively without her consent, how can you possibly blame her for their release. If she smoked pot, she isn’t the best role model, but if she passed a drug test, then they had to have been made some time ago or it wasn’t pot in the first place. What is clear is that the School district has validated this kind of public humiliation campaign by not presuming her to be innocent and giving into calls for her dismissal. The whole episode is sad, and unjust.

      Report Post »  
    • Wilkins
      Posted on September 28, 2011 at 9:06pm

      @Kalshion
      When I checked:
      59% responding to the question said “No way” should she have been fired.
      29% said yes, she should have been.
      12% were torn, or otherwise unsure.

      If those responding were representative of Blaze readers, perhaps it’s not conservatives who are most judgemental as your post implies.

      Certainly whoever published this on the web, and to the facebook accounts of her students’ parents, should be held to account.

      Report Post »  
  • randy
    Posted on September 26, 2011 at 11:59am

    Obama did drugs and is married to Moochelle!
    (Oh God I don’t even want to think about those two in bed)
    FIRE HIM!

    OMG12 = Obama Must Go in 2012

    Report Post » randy  
    • gwssacredcause
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 12:07pm

      Isn’t this the social justice Obama and his supporters are so proud of, I wonder if she supported the equal justice or hope and change of social justice like her teachers union.

      Report Post »  
    • VoteBushIn12
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 12:28pm

      GWB Did Cocaine and he was an excellent president. Doing drugs does not make you a bad person.

      Report Post » VoteBushIn12  
    • maross600
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 12:34pm

      LOL very true Randy. my god they were in the privacy of their own home.

      Report Post »  
    • Walkabout
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 1:17pm

      @ VoteBushIn12

      Bush did drugs for a short time.

      Lets draw a fishing analogy. Some fish get hooked & free themselves. Some people take drugs & don’t get hooked.

      The problem with many drugs are damage over time they do to the body. The U.S. Army handed out speed or meth during WWII to pilots so they could remain alert for long flights.

      It might behoove liberals to note that Army decided it was a bad ideal without a congressional investigation or some law passed.

      Report Post »  
    • Brizz
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 3:03pm

      Clinton: Drugs & Sexual Affair(s)
      Bush: Drugs
      Obama: Drugs
      Schwartzenegger: Drugs & Sexual Affairs
      The list goes on, Dem or Rep. How many of them were fired to be held to higher standards?

      Brizz  
    • randy
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 5:00pm

      @VOTEBUSHIN12
      FIrst Bush was a good president, not a great president.
      He was for big gov’t, terrible on the border, and just loved to spend our money.
      With that said….

      I find it funny, that if a Liberal is doing drugs, liberals feel that’s just fine,
      but if a conservative is doing drugs. those same liberals would call for him or her to be fired.

      Now here’s the funny part.
      A conservative would call for that person to be fired, regardless of party affiliation.

      Report Post » randy  
    • tower7femacamp
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 6:09pm

      Clinton,Bush and Obama were never fired either ???
      Leave this poor women alone.
      and let him with no sin cast the 1st stone.

      Report Post » tower7femacamp  
  • Marine 1
    Posted on September 26, 2011 at 11:57am

    It seems that Natalie’s true character has come into question due to the video(s) being released. In my opinion, it is better to hold people to a higher standard and I am of the opinion that if she is using marijuana then I wouldn’t want her around my kids. That’s just how I feel. Others may not care. There is no question that her personal rights have been violated by the release of the video. When the dust settles from all this she may be reinstated as a teacher but her career and her personal life may never be the same again. Time will tell.

    Report Post »  
    • Faith1029
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 12:21pm

      The woman smoked pot. Pot is illegal. Her judgement is skewed and I would not want my child taught by her or anyone like her who doesn’t know right from wrong. Even though the video was private yet disgusting, she should have been fired by the Pot issue alone. Is it too much to ask that we have moral people teaching our kids?

      Report Post »  
    • spirit of freedom
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 12:29pm

      here’s somthing that may make you go hmmmm, i work in a public school system. the schools i.e. gov’t. are going for a fed. mandate that all children be drug tested! but the UNIONS have fought tooth and nail to keep the teachers and other staff from having to! it will be a very cold day in h#ll!
      if they implemented drug testing in this dist. they would lose over half of the liberal commie staff. just saying it is more prevelent than one would believe.

      Report Post » spirit of freedom  
    • Stone Cold Truth
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 12:52pm

      She passed all her drug tests. Sorry, you fail.

      Report Post » Stone Cold Truth  
    • oregon scott
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 1:40pm

      the sad thing is, that you have no idea what the other people teaching your kids are doing in the privacy of their own home and when they are not on the states time. Yet because you don’t know there is no judgment. did any one at any point in time look and see how well the students in her class are doing? how are the test scores of her kids?. is she doing the job? if she is then the district is foolish for letting her go for this. She passed the drug tests, nothing illegal about the sex. If the scores of the kids in her class are lower, then this life style has effected her ability to teach. if not then a private life still has to be private or we are all lost.

      Report Post »  
  • PunditPawn
    Posted on September 26, 2011 at 11:57am

    So, uh, every author of a horror novel out there is a danger to society, too? Surely they must be, they’ve thought and written about horrific things, which can only mean that they are of that awful nature?

    It seems her free speech (and freedom itself) has been violated here. Unfortunately, I think the school is about to eat an expensive lawsuit.

    Report Post »  
  • riseandshine
    Posted on September 26, 2011 at 11:56am

    I’m for letting her go (firing). There’s just no other way, once it’s known to parents and the kids at the school

    Report Post » riseandshine  
  • SocialDV8
    Posted on September 26, 2011 at 11:56am

    Looks like the makings of a good civil suit. In the digital age, no one is anonymous – find the bonehead that sent the pictures and videos and sue them for everything they have (or ever will have). And remember, she only “purportedly” smoked marijuana and everybody is innocent until proven guilty.

    Report Post »  
    • Obama_Sham
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 12:04pm

      “everyone is innocent until proven guilty”

      Yes, in a court of law… Perception is a completely different matter…

      Report Post » Obama_Sham  
  • DeeezNuttz
    Posted on September 26, 2011 at 11:55am

    She passed all required drug tests required of her. The video of her purportedly smoking marijuana is just that, a video that supposedly shows her smoking marijuana, and it could easily be argued that it wasnt in fact marijuana.

    Unfortunately, Florida is a right to work state, so even if they fired her for an alleged offense, they dont really need an offense to begin with.

    Do I consider it the right decision to fire her? Absolutely not. Can the school board make the decision to fire her because of the video? They did, and according to the law they are afforded that right.

    @cessna152 – The video got out because of someone with an axe to grind.
    @abbygirl1994 – Agreed. The person who sent the video out should be held responsible, but, because she was aware she was being recorded, I am unsure of the legal ramifications that person could actually face.
    @drattastic – She was drug tested. Numerous times. She passed. So your attempt at pulling the whole evil public sector vs. good private sector arguement fails. Miserably.
    @drattastic for this comment – “What about the drugs ,last I checked they were illegal.” – Correct, drugs are illegal. But you or anyone else cannot prove that she was doing drugs.

    Report Post »  
    • Obama_Sham
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 12:03pm

      Deeznutz…

      Your argument is correct, if this were a court of LAW… However, businesses can fire people on the PERCEPTION of wrong doing…

      Your argument is moot…

      Report Post » Obama_Sham  
    • SurhanSurhan
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 12:15pm

      @DEEEZNUTTZ – You are my hero today! Great analysis!

      Report Post »  
    • Jim in Houston
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 12:29pm

      Drugs or not, look at her appearance on the video. It was disgraceful and certainly does not reflect well upon the school district. I don’t think that is the image anyone wants from their teachers.

      Report Post »  
  • SnakeDoctor24
    Posted on September 26, 2011 at 11:54am

    The drug use is a bigger problem for me than the sex part. No word in the story on who she was having sex with … may have been her husband for all we know. Teachers are certainly allowed their private sex lives, and, while dumb, videotaping is occasionally part of it. Embarrassing if they get out … but it is hardly an unknown fact that teachers in their 30s have sex lives. It isn’t as if she intentionally released the sex video, or as if they were released to students. So parents and administrators know she has sex. So what?

    Doing illegal drugs with a camera around is just asking to be fired, though.

    The bigger question is who released the video. Ex-husband?

    SnakeDoc

    Report Post » SnakeDoctor24  
  • Dismayed Veteran
    Posted on September 26, 2011 at 11:54am

    It is questionable if she was smoking a joint. The picture is not clear enough to be definitive. According to the article, she passed her last drug tests. Drug tests are random and she passed.

    What acts she engages in her private life are private. As long as no laws are broken, I believe that she should have kept her job. Most of us who post on this site believe in less government in our lives.

    I personally struggle with the idea that someone would chose to have their private moments captured on camera.

    Report Post » Dismayed Veteran  
  • grumpyt
    Posted on September 26, 2011 at 11:54am

    Thought police & pre-crime prevention? We are witnessing the destruction of our FREE society. The “Brave New World” of “1984” is upon us! We can’t allow things like this to stand. Stupidity is NOT a crime.

    Report Post » grumpyt  
    • Blackhawk1
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 12:56pm

      Stupidity is NOT a crime

      You are correct but do we want Stupid people teaching our youngsters? I think not.

      Report Post » Blackhawk1  
    • grumpyt
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 2:49pm

      Blackhawk1, nope we don’t want stupid people teaching our kids. But firing a teacher for this? Find a real reason. Someone is trying to destroy her. This speaks to private poor judgement.

      All I can say is that I‘m glad I’m old and almost ready to leave the work-force.

      Report Post » grumpyt  
  • PApeacemaker
    Posted on September 26, 2011 at 11:53am

    If you are a moron and voted she should keep her job let me ask you this question. Would you want YOUR kid sitting in that class room with her 8 hours a day 9 months a year? She uses illegal drugs, shes a pervert & a wanna be pron star. Theres plenty of GOOD teachers out there who don’t do that crap who need a job.

    Report Post » PApeacemaker  
    • David Hudson
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 12:03pm

      I need to be candid and state that I do not believe in teacher unions and feel our public education system is inept. That said, using your logic, nothing a teacher, or anyone else having contact with children, has a personal life. This teacher should be judged on her performance in the classroom, period. It is so convenient that this country has a plethora of under-performing teachers that CANNOT be fired due to their union contracts, yet this one is fired for something that only came to light, apparently through illegal means. It is obvious that someone set out to get her fired, and succeeded. Your point that is could fall over into the classroom is not valid, since the school makes no mention of other incidents or a pattern.

      Report Post » David Hudson  
  • kickagrandma
    Posted on September 26, 2011 at 11:53am

    We all make mistakes. Often. Some are “worse” in our eyes than others.

    I hope that the young woman involved learns a life-long lesson from this horror in her life and that she “mends her ways”, repents and becomes an even better person and a great teacher.

    I hope that the person who did this to her by posting this on the web gets caught, convicted and sentenced . If he or she cleans up his or her own act and becomes a better person, too, great. He or she owes a public apology to everyone. And, anyone who is “friends” with the poster might want to be careful.

    Report Post »  
    • hi
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 12:03pm

      I agree it is a mixed blessing for her to be caught so she can turn her life around. Prayers for her that she knows God’s grace.

      Report Post » hi  
  • AgentP
    Posted on September 26, 2011 at 11:51am

    and ya wonder why they call it “dope”

    Report Post » AgentP  
  • Rickfromillinois
    Posted on September 26, 2011 at 11:49am

    I guess is that it just before the videos came out the guy she was with became her ex-boyfriend. It showed poor judgement for her to tape her sexual encounters. Without the video and pictures she could deny everything. Smoking pot and taping it is where she really messed up and is what got her fired. Having sex with her boyfriend is her private business and should be treated as such. Breaking the law and being stupid enough to tape it is what drove the nail into her coffin.

    Report Post » Rickfromillinois  
  • Munsonmanor
    Posted on September 26, 2011 at 11:47am

    The only thing illegal was the maijuana. However, does anyone know WHEN this video was taken? How do we know it wasn’t when she was in college before she ever became a teacher? We’ve ALL done things in our youth that we would like to change or forget. If there‘s nothing in her past while she’s been a teacher, a more appropriate punishment would’ve been a short suspension, probation period, & submit to more frequent drug testing for a length of time. Obviously, somebody got mad at her and wants her destroyed. I would like to know the WHOLE story before I could be swayed to just fire her on the spot.

    Report Post »  
  • joe1234
    Posted on September 26, 2011 at 11:44am

    wish I had a teacher like that when I was in school…mine were all old and ugly…

    sounds like a former boyfriend is out to destroy her…

    she should keep her job.

    Report Post » joe1234  
  • Junter
    Posted on September 26, 2011 at 11:42am

    There is no anonymity on the internet. Who ever sent those emails or posted pictures can be very easily found and prosecuted.

    Report Post »  
  • HADEN0UGH
    Posted on September 26, 2011 at 11:41am

    Just wait until having a Bible study in your own home or bowing your heads in silence are deemed fireable offenses and someone posts a video of you doing it.

    Oh wait…

    Report Post » HADEN0UGH  
  • ares338
    Posted on September 26, 2011 at 11:39am

    People will never learn to not put themselves in compromising positions. It‘s unfortunate that private stuff was used in such a manner but she would be naive to believe this wouldn’t consequences right or wrong.

    Report Post » ares338  
  • rdietz7
    Posted on September 26, 2011 at 11:38am

    Wages of sin is death! Fornication is immorality mentioned in Romans ch 1. Christ Jesus can set you free of your sin and deliver you from hell.

    Report Post » rdietz7  
    • The Divided States of America
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 11:53am

      Even if you lust at a woman in your heart, your going to hell dude. Don‘t tell me you haven’t let your eyes gaze upon a sexy woman ? Jesus Christ did not come to condemn the world and it’s people, he came to save us…therefore his death upon the cross represents a believers ETERNAL salvation. Never mock Christ’s death and holy cleansing blood with cheap pharisaical legalism : marked by hypocritical censorious self-righteousness.

      Report Post » The Divided States of America  
    • rdietz7
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 12:50pm

      You can include me in St. Paul’s group as chief of sinners. Everyone deserves God’s wrath for their sinful state they were born into. You don’t get a get out of hell free card just because Jesus died for the sins of the world. You have to repent, ask for forgiveness of your sins. Then you have to rely on Christ to change your sinful heart and use his power to overcome your sins. Jesus is the only way to escape the final death which is eternity in hell.

      Report Post » rdietz7  
    • rdietz7
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 1:08pm

      The reason why I commented on this news about the sin of fornication is because of the obvious penalty the woman paid in loosing her job. She engaged in sexual immorality and was judged for it. She lost her job. People that are fornicators can loose their life by engaging in this sin. Before you wreck yourself with your immorality you should repent and stop the behavior.

      Getting fired for fornication is bad. Dying from AIDS is worse. Burning in everlasting hell takes the cake.

      Jesus talks about it being better to cut off a useful bodily appendage rather than let it lead you into sin. He clearly states that you should not fear man who can take your life, but fear he who has the power to send you to everlasting torment.

      Read the gospels and you will find Jesus preaching hell as punishment for sins unforgiven. Read Romans 1: 24-32 to be convicted of your sin and why everyone needs the forgiveness of their Immorality.

      Report Post » rdietz7  
  • Jenny Lind
    Posted on September 26, 2011 at 11:37am

    I see this two ways. One, she was incredibly foolish if she trusted someone with taking these pictures and film. She really brought this on herself. Two, someone was out to destroy her, and because we expect extra from teachers, they succeded. There is no such thing as tolerance in the public school system, you must be above reproach to work with kids OR do not get it on film of any kind. Did it violate her privacy? Probably, so we loose a good teacher and it’s all sad. How could anyone hate someone so much they would do something like that to them?

    Report Post »  
  • cessna152
    Posted on September 26, 2011 at 11:30am

    Well, she was breaking the law by getting “high”. Also, she is teaching 3rd graders? I would not trust her around my kids. I know if my boss went on my facebook page and saw me getting high and doing illegal things, I would be fired. And it would not be on the news.

    The video got out there somehow, so this is justified.

    Report Post » cessna152  
    • salvawhoray
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 11:43am

      yet she can be a drunk and cigarette smoker and that fine. Right?

      Report Post » salvawhoray  
    • cessna152
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 11:53am

      Would you want her spending time with your 3rd grade son? How would you feel if your child was in her class and supervision 6 hours a day? Please, I would like to hear this…

      Report Post » cessna152  
    • ashestoashes
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 12:09pm

      One can be forgiven all sins except one..and that is blasphme of the Holy Spirit. All one has to do as a believer is repent (turn away from) of the sin and ask forgiveness and not do it again and one is forgiven. It was as the woman…Mary Magdalene when caught in adultery and being stoned as she lay on the ground, that Jesus walked up to her..took her by the hand and asked the crowd.. “Any one of you here who is without sin, be the one to cast the first stone.” And with that.. they all turned and walked away. I don’t know of this womans beliefs.. but I believe that she had made something of her life. I hope for her sake that she knows Yashuah. There are so many teachers now belonging to unions and teaching a Godless liberal agenda. We do need high moral standards to be set for our children..but we need to be teaching our children the ways of Christ ..love, honor, truth and forgiveness. We need to be teaching them about faith and prayer for God’s will to be done.

      Report Post »  
    • cbtu77
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 12:26pm

      She was a 4th grade teacher, not that it matters.

      Report Post »  
  • abbygirl1994
    Posted on September 26, 2011 at 11:30am

    What is her private life, should remain her private life.. but someone needs to be held responsible for sending her photos and videos to the school!

    Report Post » abbygirl1994  
    • IvanK
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 11:45am

      For all you lib trolls on this site demonising her… Perhaps you remeber defending our former Horndog in Chief. After all, his legacy is, “Oral Sex isn’t sex”.
      We all have private lives and EVERYONE who is an adult has had sex in PRIVATE.

      I’m also wondering why she was fired for something done in private when we have a multitude of teachers who preach, encourage, and indoctrinate young children into socialism, marxism, homosexuality, sex at their age is good, etc?

      Report Post » IvanK  
    • Bible Quotin' Science Fearin' Conservative American
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 11:49am

      Easy. She was fired because of church influence. Church is poison to personal liberties.

      Report Post » Bible Quotin' Science Fearin' Conservative American  
    • JLGunner
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 12:03pm

      I’m all about personal resposibility but when you have the trust of so many, smokin weed is not what you should be doing. I know I get tested at my workplace, what makes her situation any different? Aren’t schools considered a drug free workplace? The sex part I don’t care about, but when you video tape yourself breaking the law, we can’t help you.

      Report Post » JLGunner  
    • JLGunner
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 12:11pm

      Just for clarification, the sender of this information should be prosecuted. There was no reason to send this to the parents of students.

      Report Post » JLGunner  
  • drattastic
    Posted on September 26, 2011 at 11:30am

    Doing drugs should have been enough to get her fired, I guess teachers don’t get drug tested like everyone in the private sector who pay their salaries .

    Report Post » drattastic  
  • Blazer123
    Posted on September 26, 2011 at 11:29am

    I feel sorry for her and don‘t think this is grounds for termination being she broke no laws and almost certainly didn’t want these images to be public. That said, don‘t film yourself doing things that you don’t want shared with strangers. Lesson learned.

    Report Post »  
    • drattastic
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 11:31am

      What about the drugs ,last I checked they were illegal.

      Report Post » drattastic  
    • RugerHoyt
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 11:46am

      She passed her drug test it says…

      Report Post »  
    • Walkabout
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 1:26pm

      @ Rugerhoyt
      The drugs could have cleared her system by the time the test was taken.
      She could know how to fool the tests.
      It could have been a rolled cigarette. Some people smoke those.
      Or it could be that designer stuff that legislatures have not passed laws against & which are not picked up on a test.

      Report Post »  
    • Blazer123
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 1:59pm

      @drattastic, it is possible to use cannabis legally in FL as far as I know.

      Report Post »  
    • Bill in Texas
      Posted on September 26, 2011 at 4:30pm

      No matter how you slice it, this is still AMERICA where there is a presumption of innocence.
      The video was nothing more than a smear campaign. She was only guilty of being videoed in that situation. There is no evidence of wrong doing on this video other than consensual relations between adults. What she was smoking no one knows without a witness or a confession.
      There were no children in the room with her. And it had nothing to do with her job. I believe it was a serious invasion of her privacy.
      Her only crime here was poor judgment in performing in front of a camera., And I may be wrong, but I’m pretty sure there is no law preventing what she did with her man.

      I say we stop convicting people before they have their day in court.

      Report Post »  
    • Xyskalla
      Posted on September 27, 2011 at 1:04am

      I don’t see why they fired her. After all, she didn’t murder anyone or or bow her head while students were praying or anything really vile like that.

       
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