Art teacher in hot water over topless photos
June 17, 2006 11:07 AM Subscribe
Art teacher in hot water over topless photos - Meet Tamara, a 29 year old art teacher at Austin High School (notable alumni) in Austin, TX. She's in danger of losing her job with the Austin independent School District over inappropriate photos posted to her Flickr account (may be NSFW). "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."
I think pretentiousness should be a firing offense in any professional field.
posted by bardic at 11:19 AM on June 17, 2006
posted by bardic at 11:19 AM on June 17, 2006
Has the "offensive material" been removed? I saw one arty B&W shot of a nipple. That gets you fired?
posted by sharpener at 11:23 AM on June 17, 2006
posted by sharpener at 11:23 AM on June 17, 2006
Someone wake me up when the Eisenhower Administration ends.
posted by psmealey at 11:26 AM on June 17, 2006
posted by psmealey at 11:26 AM on June 17, 2006
Perhaps it's just me being paranoid, but I can't help but wonder if this is also a case of sexual orientation discrimination.
posted by KirkJobSluder at 11:27 AM on June 17, 2006
posted by KirkJobSluder at 11:27 AM on June 17, 2006
Who cares about her boobies on Flickr, she shows her pussy on myspace.
posted by hugecranium at 11:28 AM on June 17, 2006
posted by hugecranium at 11:28 AM on June 17, 2006
as NSFW as can be, in hindsight.
posted by Fupped Duck at 11:28 AM on June 17, 2006
posted by Fupped Duck at 11:28 AM on June 17, 2006
If she really wanted to make an artistic statement, she'd airbrush her nipples off the "offending" photos to make herself look like a Barbie and re-upload them.
posted by MegoSteve at 11:28 AM on June 17, 2006
posted by MegoSteve at 11:28 AM on June 17, 2006
"NSFW" is NSFW.
posted by nervousfritz at 11:31 AM on June 17, 2006
posted by nervousfritz at 11:31 AM on June 17, 2006
Well, most of the photos are of her hipster friends, and a few drawings of men with long pointy penises. Her topless photos are tame, tasteful and she is a very fresh-looking and atttractive woman, but I would put them in same category of the hipster photos - instead of saying I am cool, she is saying I am cool and beautiful.
She is laying down, which I guess is vaguely suggestive...
It is not real profound stuff, and the photo is fairly close to a classical nude although she is clothed from the waste up - it really isn't much of a statement but it doesn't cross the line of bad taste.
The nudity is pretty mild, the statement it makes isn't particularily shocking. She doesn't deserve any trouble over this, but if she ran into some I don't think she should view taking the photos down as any great loss to the artistic community or her freedom of expression.
posted by Deep Dish at 11:33 AM on June 17, 2006
She is laying down, which I guess is vaguely suggestive...
It is not real profound stuff, and the photo is fairly close to a classical nude although she is clothed from the waste up - it really isn't much of a statement but it doesn't cross the line of bad taste.
The nudity is pretty mild, the statement it makes isn't particularily shocking. She doesn't deserve any trouble over this, but if she ran into some I don't think she should view taking the photos down as any great loss to the artistic community or her freedom of expression.
posted by Deep Dish at 11:33 AM on June 17, 2006
Actually the pictures were on her partner's Flickr pages: http://www.flickr.com/people/celestadanger
"After Tamara was fired from her job as an AISD high school art teacher, I am removing many images of her for the time being. With all the media attention, I am now seen as a pornographer and unfortunately, Im getting many porn collectors and those wishing to use and post my images of Tamara in a crude, lascivious manner and not to mention the Austin American Statesman running an article this morning noting how quick and easy it was for them to break into my Flickr account and access my Private images.
Ive received much criticism about my homosexual relationship with Tamara, removing my images, posting my images, and just being a poor artist in general.
It is important to note that none of the criticism Ive received has affected my decision take down some of our images."
posted by mrbill at 11:34 AM on June 17, 2006
"After Tamara was fired from her job as an AISD high school art teacher, I am removing many images of her for the time being. With all the media attention, I am now seen as a pornographer and unfortunately, Im getting many porn collectors and those wishing to use and post my images of Tamara in a crude, lascivious manner and not to mention the Austin American Statesman running an article this morning noting how quick and easy it was for them to break into my Flickr account and access my Private images.
Ive received much criticism about my homosexual relationship with Tamara, removing my images, posting my images, and just being a poor artist in general.
It is important to note that none of the criticism Ive received has affected my decision take down some of our images."
posted by mrbill at 11:34 AM on June 17, 2006
I used to like art. I don't know if I like art anymore. Maybe Alec Baldwin was wrong?
posted by thanatogenous at 11:39 AM on June 17, 2006
posted by thanatogenous at 11:39 AM on June 17, 2006
Has the "offensive material" been removed? I saw one arty B&W shot of a nipple. That gets you fired?
Apparently the so called "offensive" pictures the article mentions were the ones posted by her partner, which include more nude shots of her in apparently mundane situations. But her partner's flickr page wasn't linked.
posted by Jezztek at 11:41 AM on June 17, 2006
Apparently the so called "offensive" pictures the article mentions were the ones posted by her partner, which include more nude shots of her in apparently mundane situations. But her partner's flickr page wasn't linked.
posted by Jezztek at 11:41 AM on June 17, 2006
Bah. Even the nearly all-Mormon Brigham Young University has nude life drawing art classes. What the fuck, Austin?
*looks at flickr page*
Interesting. Interesting. Nice! Cool... Gah! Lomo!
posted by loquacious at 11:50 AM on June 17, 2006
*looks at flickr page*
Interesting. Interesting. Nice! Cool... Gah! Lomo!
posted by loquacious at 11:50 AM on June 17, 2006
Here's where they were located, but as she says the nudes have been removed: http://www.flickr.com/photos/celestadanger/sets/294392/
posted by mrbill at 11:51 AM on June 17, 2006
posted by mrbill at 11:51 AM on June 17, 2006
Remember kids, in Neo-con america, Violence good, sex bad.
posted by MrLint at 11:53 AM on June 17, 2006
posted by MrLint at 11:53 AM on June 17, 2006
We need to round up all those nursing mothers and send them to jail so they can't corrupt their infants by exposing them to breasts. And don't even get me started on childbirth, which apparently involves a child physically emerging from a vagina. Why should a godly people tolerate this unconscionable sin?
posted by George_Spiggott at 11:58 AM on June 17, 2006
posted by George_Spiggott at 11:58 AM on June 17, 2006
MrLint: long before there was such a thing known as neo-cons, America had that attitude in its literature, for which, see Leslie Fiedler's classic study . We have always welcomed violence and found sexuality distasteful.
for what our young teens are up to,
http://www.wired.com/news/columns/0,71158-0.html?tw=wn_index_2
We bitch about govt intrusion in to our lives on the phones, net, mail etc and yet our schools, colleges, jobs, and all judge us now by what we may display on the net in blogs etc...I have read that a new trend ils for potential job app[plicants to be googled for their blogs etc to get a look at what is out tyhere but not on the resumez. thus: Everything is available and nothing should be made public these days.That is why I require a secret handshake to view my blog
posted by Postroad at 12:02 PM on June 17, 2006
for what our young teens are up to,
http://www.wired.com/news/columns/0,71158-0.html?tw=wn_index_2
We bitch about govt intrusion in to our lives on the phones, net, mail etc and yet our schools, colleges, jobs, and all judge us now by what we may display on the net in blogs etc...I have read that a new trend ils for potential job app[plicants to be googled for their blogs etc to get a look at what is out tyhere but not on the resumez. thus: Everything is available and nothing should be made public these days.That is why I require a secret handshake to view my blog
posted by Postroad at 12:02 PM on June 17, 2006
Was there a "moral turpitude" clause in her contract? If so, she's probably SOL.
More interesting: They're firing her for nekkid pics, not for being a lesbian. Or maybe it's a convenient excuse.
posted by dw at 12:07 PM on June 17, 2006
More interesting: They're firing her for nekkid pics, not for being a lesbian. Or maybe it's a convenient excuse.
posted by dw at 12:07 PM on June 17, 2006
Well, maybe the ordeal will encourage her to leave the stupid, ignorant ass backwards hell hole and move to a normal state.
posted by c13 at 12:08 PM on June 17, 2006
posted by c13 at 12:08 PM on June 17, 2006
This kind of crap is why I'd never go into teaching. I mean, I enjoy being around young people and I would love to teach, but I could never deal with all the restrictions on what I say and how I would interact with people. Like you can't say anything remotely vulger, politically (or patriotically) incorrect or flirtatious.
I couldn't stand it.
posted by delmoi at 12:11 PM on June 17, 2006
I couldn't stand it.
posted by delmoi at 12:11 PM on June 17, 2006
Deep Dish: while I agree, and I believe that she should not be persecuted for a few photos, evidently there were a lot more revealing ones that were taken down.
posted by exlotuseater at 12:12 PM on June 17, 2006
posted by exlotuseater at 12:12 PM on June 17, 2006
God there are some 580 pics taged "tamera" on celest's photostream. Some highschool kids must have been really bored, which is not too suprising.
posted by delmoi at 12:13 PM on June 17, 2006
posted by delmoi at 12:13 PM on June 17, 2006
Man, this sounds like such a laughable stereotypical high school clusterfuck. It was precipitated by a fight over art supplies! So... sad. I'm not surprised they'd go all gibbertygoo over nudes, even in Austin. It's a public school after all. From the article:
"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.
My friend I think you are vastly overestimating your school administrators.
I like the drawings on the Flickr page.
posted by furiousthought at 12:16 PM on June 17, 2006
"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.
My friend I think you are vastly overestimating your school administrators.
I like the drawings on the Flickr page.
posted by furiousthought at 12:16 PM on June 17, 2006
This kind of crap is why I'd never go into teaching. I mean, I enjoy being around young people and I would love to teach, but I could never deal with all the restrictions on what I say and how I would interact with people. Like you can't say anything remotely vulger, politically (or patriotically) incorrect or flirtatious.
For most teachers I know, it's the least of their worries. They complain about No Child Left Behind, poor administrative support, long hours, little pay, kids that range from indifferent to violent, a political system that wants them to do everything for nothing, parents who don't give a crap about the school (and the ones that do want to tell the teachers how to do their jobs)....
And yet, some of them love it. I don't get it. I don't have the patience.
posted by dw at 12:16 PM on June 17, 2006
For most teachers I know, it's the least of their worries. They complain about No Child Left Behind, poor administrative support, long hours, little pay, kids that range from indifferent to violent, a political system that wants them to do everything for nothing, parents who don't give a crap about the school (and the ones that do want to tell the teachers how to do their jobs)....
And yet, some of them love it. I don't get it. I don't have the patience.
posted by dw at 12:16 PM on June 17, 2006
MrLint: long before there was such a thing known as neo-cons, America had that attitude in its literature, for which, see Leslie Fiedler's classic study . We have always welcomed violence and found sexuality distasteful.
Er, Neo-cons are defined primarily by their foreign policy.
posted by delmoi at 12:16 PM on June 17, 2006
Er, Neo-cons are defined primarily by their foreign policy.
posted by delmoi at 12:16 PM on June 17, 2006
I thought about this a bit more...
Actually I am sick of this movement in North America - it is worse in USA but I live in Canada and it creeps into elements of our society too...
I am speaking of the movement that everyone who enters, politics, teaching, or any kind of public life has to be an angel and a rocket scientist.
You know what? If you have not ever woke up after a bender, stolen something, had a romance with someone who is or causes you to be bad and self destructive, levelled a protest or criticism against your government because it was doing something cruel and evil in your name, drove though a shitty part of town of town looking for drugs, saw nude photos of yourself circulating or done any one of the ever-growing number of things which gets you labelled a pariah who is unfit to serve humanity as a teacher, politician, or parent ----- you have probably not done much of anything with your life.
We need people, people who do not have entirely pure lives and reputations to benefit us.
Gossips and Historians could tell you that Winston Churchill (drunk, nudist), FDR (drunk), JFK (womanizer), Ernest Hemingway (drunk, womanizer, mentally ill, animal abuser), Abe Lincoln (mentally ill), hell even George W Bush (stoner) all have very unsavoury elements in their character.... and I would say we are better for having known most people on that list.
This woman's boobies don't offend me, and I am glad there are people who are willing to push the envelope of societies' expectations - this would be bland, uninteresting if all those people were marginalized... I hope she makes prints of these photos, gets a gallery exhibit and invites the entire school to the opening....
posted by Deep Dish at 12:22 PM on June 17, 2006
Actually I am sick of this movement in North America - it is worse in USA but I live in Canada and it creeps into elements of our society too...
I am speaking of the movement that everyone who enters, politics, teaching, or any kind of public life has to be an angel and a rocket scientist.
You know what? If you have not ever woke up after a bender, stolen something, had a romance with someone who is or causes you to be bad and self destructive, levelled a protest or criticism against your government because it was doing something cruel and evil in your name, drove though a shitty part of town of town looking for drugs, saw nude photos of yourself circulating or done any one of the ever-growing number of things which gets you labelled a pariah who is unfit to serve humanity as a teacher, politician, or parent ----- you have probably not done much of anything with your life.
We need people, people who do not have entirely pure lives and reputations to benefit us.
Gossips and Historians could tell you that Winston Churchill (drunk, nudist), FDR (drunk), JFK (womanizer), Ernest Hemingway (drunk, womanizer, mentally ill, animal abuser), Abe Lincoln (mentally ill), hell even George W Bush (stoner) all have very unsavoury elements in their character.... and I would say we are better for having known most people on that list.
This woman's boobies don't offend me, and I am glad there are people who are willing to push the envelope of societies' expectations - this would be bland, uninteresting if all those people were marginalized... I hope she makes prints of these photos, gets a gallery exhibit and invites the entire school to the opening....
posted by Deep Dish at 12:22 PM on June 17, 2006
c13 : "Well, maybe the ordeal will encourage her to leave the stupid, ignorant ass backwards hell hole and move to a normal state."
Like stupid, ignorant ass backwards Tennessee?
posted by Bugbread at 12:37 PM on June 17, 2006
Like stupid, ignorant ass backwards Tennessee?
posted by Bugbread at 12:37 PM on June 17, 2006
This woman's boobies don't offend me
Dammit, you stole my pickup line!
posted by found missing at 12:42 PM on June 17, 2006
Dammit, you stole my pickup line!
posted by found missing at 12:42 PM on June 17, 2006
George W Bush (stoner) (cokehead)
Get your facts straight.
Anyway, what makes this most worrisome, and of which c13 seems to be unaware, is that Austin is a bastion of progressive liberalism inside Texas. At least, it used to be.
posted by Faint of Butt at 12:45 PM on June 17, 2006
Get your facts straight.
Anyway, what makes this most worrisome, and of which c13 seems to be unaware, is that Austin is a bastion of progressive liberalism inside Texas. At least, it used to be.
posted by Faint of Butt at 12:45 PM on June 17, 2006
Faint of Butt : "Anyway, what makes this most worrisome, and of which c13 seems to be unaware, is that Austin is a bastion of progressive liberalism inside Texas. At least, it used to be."
That's what surprised me, but I don't think this is enough to make me classify Austin as formerly progressive/liberal. School systems are always entities in themselves, to some extent, so I wouldn't be surprised if Austin were still liberal but the school administration weren't.
posted by Bugbread at 12:47 PM on June 17, 2006
That's what surprised me, but I don't think this is enough to make me classify Austin as formerly progressive/liberal. School systems are always entities in themselves, to some extent, so I wouldn't be surprised if Austin were still liberal but the school administration weren't.
posted by Bugbread at 12:47 PM on June 17, 2006
Like stupid, ignorant ass backwards Tennessee?
No, dude. Unfortunately, that would not be much of an improvement. Not to say there wouldn't be any, but if you're gonna move, you might as well go further.
posted by c13 at 12:48 PM on June 17, 2006
No, dude. Unfortunately, that would not be much of an improvement. Not to say there wouldn't be any, but if you're gonna move, you might as well go further.
posted by c13 at 12:48 PM on June 17, 2006
Sounds like Austin has confused that case with this one. All the articles about the Paaducah case omit the part that really interests me: who found out? And how? And are they in hot water for looking at these?
posted by dilettante at 12:50 PM on June 17, 2006
posted by dilettante at 12:50 PM on June 17, 2006
The school district said the photos were inappropriate and violate the "higher moral standard" expected of public school teachers.
Heh heh.. That those higher morals must be pretty shaky if a few pictures of boobies is all it takes for them to be violated.
posted by c13 at 1:01 PM on June 17, 2006
Heh heh.. That those higher morals must be pretty shaky if a few pictures of boobies is all it takes for them to be violated.
posted by c13 at 1:01 PM on June 17, 2006
If I had a hot art teacher, you can be damned sure I'd google her, just in case.
posted by graventy at 1:05 PM on June 17, 2006
posted by graventy at 1:05 PM on June 17, 2006
I don't understand why everyone is making such a big deal out of this picture.
I mean I get the whole devil-dog-satan-witchcraft deal, but so what, I thought we were living in a modern society. But seriously, that's not worth all this hubbub.
Oh wait...
Personally I still don't understand why we can have nonstop topless imagery of men in media and advertising but the first time anyone shows a women without a shirt it's go-apeshit-hide-the-children time.
I mean it's not like everyone hasn't seen one before, as a matter a fact I think a breast is one of the first things I ever saw or at-least one of the first things I ever paid attention to.
posted by bluevelvetelvis at 1:10 PM on June 17, 2006
I mean I get the whole devil-dog-satan-witchcraft deal, but so what, I thought we were living in a modern society. But seriously, that's not worth all this hubbub.
Oh wait...
Personally I still don't understand why we can have nonstop topless imagery of men in media and advertising but the first time anyone shows a women without a shirt it's go-apeshit-hide-the-children time.
I mean it's not like everyone hasn't seen one before, as a matter a fact I think a breast is one of the first things I ever saw or at-least one of the first things I ever paid attention to.
posted by bluevelvetelvis at 1:10 PM on June 17, 2006
I can't locate them now, but for a while you could find a lot of the photos by searching for the tamara, some were light bdsm, and there were a couple of shower shots. While i sympathize what was this woman thinking.
posted by sourbrew at 1:16 PM on June 17, 2006
posted by sourbrew at 1:16 PM on June 17, 2006
I can't locate them now, but for a while you could find a lot of the photos by searching for the tag tamara, some were light bdsm, and there were a couple of shower shots. While i sympathize what was this woman thinking.
posted by sourbrew at 1:16 PM on June 17, 2006
posted by sourbrew at 1:16 PM on June 17, 2006
i think the next big fight after gay rights is gonna be naked rights.
posted by brevator at 1:16 PM on June 17, 2006
posted by brevator at 1:16 PM on June 17, 2006
I totally remember looking at celest's flickr photos of tamara a few months ago. Weird.
I think I just happened upon them from going to one photographer I liked on flickr to the next. I definitely recall a post-shower sudsy naked photo. Was pretty.
I really do feel bad for anyone who is trying to have a job and something of an internet life at the same time. It's gotta be stressful at best, and fired-over at worst.
posted by birdie birdington at 1:30 PM on June 17, 2006
I think I just happened upon them from going to one photographer I liked on flickr to the next. I definitely recall a post-shower sudsy naked photo. Was pretty.
I really do feel bad for anyone who is trying to have a job and something of an internet life at the same time. It's gotta be stressful at best, and fired-over at worst.
posted by birdie birdington at 1:30 PM on June 17, 2006
I guess the curriculum for the teaching of art should be reconsidered. None of this dangerous stuff.
(For the thin skins out there this links to a Botticelli - therefore NSFW.)
posted by fluffycreature at 1:43 PM on June 17, 2006
Absurd.
There is about to be an entire generation of workers, including teachers, let loose on society who have been online since they were pre-teens.
At some point, blogging/flickr sets/youtube uploads/myspace accounts will be considered sufficiently mainstream that they can no longer raise eyebrows. We are in a difficult transition time. But I think this is temporary. Based on what this generation publishes for public consumption, this will come to a head pretty soon.
A myspace-type application targeted for the over-50 set will be the next big thing on the 'net.
Your heard it here first.
posted by Ynoxas at 2:11 PM on June 17, 2006 [1 favorite]
There is about to be an entire generation of workers, including teachers, let loose on society who have been online since they were pre-teens.
At some point, blogging/flickr sets/youtube uploads/myspace accounts will be considered sufficiently mainstream that they can no longer raise eyebrows. We are in a difficult transition time. But I think this is temporary. Based on what this generation publishes for public consumption, this will come to a head pretty soon.
A myspace-type application targeted for the over-50 set will be the next big thing on the 'net.
Your heard it here first.
posted by Ynoxas at 2:11 PM on June 17, 2006 [1 favorite]
Ynoxas : "At some point, blogging/flickr sets/youtube uploads/myspace accounts will be considered sufficiently mainstream that they can no longer raise eyebrows."
I dunno. That's like saying "At some point, books will be considered sufficiently mainstream that they can no longer raise eyebrows." If someone became a teacher, and it was found out that they'd written a few sci-fi novels, there would be no problem. If they became a teacher, and it was found out they'd written a few Aryan pride books about killing the inferior races, there would be a problem. What's raising the eyebrows isn't the existence of blogs/flickr/youtube/myspace, but the contents of them. The issue isn't the medium.
So if your employer doesn't like you having nude photos, or sex vids, or whathaveyou, that won't change just because internet materials are common, and your employer probably won't say, "Well, we don't want to hire anyone who has sex with donkeys on film, but your film was on youtube, so we'll make an exception".
(I'm not comparing her nude photos to sex with donkeys or racism. I'm just saying that the medium of what she did isn't what is causing the ruckus, the contents are. Same as the situation dilettante mentioned. The pornos being on videotapes was not what got the Paducah teacher in trouble. The pornos existing is what got her in trouble.)
posted by Bugbread at 2:21 PM on June 17, 2006
I dunno. That's like saying "At some point, books will be considered sufficiently mainstream that they can no longer raise eyebrows." If someone became a teacher, and it was found out that they'd written a few sci-fi novels, there would be no problem. If they became a teacher, and it was found out they'd written a few Aryan pride books about killing the inferior races, there would be a problem. What's raising the eyebrows isn't the existence of blogs/flickr/youtube/myspace, but the contents of them. The issue isn't the medium.
So if your employer doesn't like you having nude photos, or sex vids, or whathaveyou, that won't change just because internet materials are common, and your employer probably won't say, "Well, we don't want to hire anyone who has sex with donkeys on film, but your film was on youtube, so we'll make an exception".
(I'm not comparing her nude photos to sex with donkeys or racism. I'm just saying that the medium of what she did isn't what is causing the ruckus, the contents are. Same as the situation dilettante mentioned. The pornos being on videotapes was not what got the Paducah teacher in trouble. The pornos existing is what got her in trouble.)
posted by Bugbread at 2:21 PM on June 17, 2006
This woman's boobies don't offend me.Of course they don't. She doesn't have any.
posted by nlindstrom at 2:23 PM on June 17, 2006
"Well, maybe the ordeal will encourage her to leave the stupid, ignorant ass backwards hell hole and move to a normal state."
Austin isn't like the rest of Texas. According to the 2000 US Census, the top three cities in the US for lesbian cohabitation are San Francisco, Austin, and Santa Fe. Maybe there's a good reason she likes living in Austin and very few alternatives would be as comfortable. But don't let me get in the way of your stereotypes or simplemindedness.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 2:34 PM on June 17, 2006
Austin isn't like the rest of Texas. According to the 2000 US Census, the top three cities in the US for lesbian cohabitation are San Francisco, Austin, and Santa Fe. Maybe there's a good reason she likes living in Austin and very few alternatives would be as comfortable. But don't let me get in the way of your stereotypes or simplemindedness.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 2:34 PM on June 17, 2006
Perhaps the more alarming thing (close-minded and reactionary school administrators are nothing new) is that according to the CNN.com poll on the article, at least 4425 people (12% of the votes) don't believe nude photos can be art.
posted by kyleg at 2:42 PM on June 17, 2006
posted by kyleg at 2:42 PM on June 17, 2006
Well, isn't there a bit of a difference between the two cases in that one appears to be in the context of art photographs, while the other appears to be explicitly made pornography for that market?
She's an art teacher who is expected to engage in continuing professional development as both a teacher and an artist. It seems a bit absurd to limit her practices as an artist to safe watercolor landscapes and still life paintings. (And yes, I think that being a model for the art of others is part of that practice.)
bugbread: So if your employer doesn't like you having nude photos, or sex vids, or whathaveyou, that won't change just because internet materials are common, and your employer probably won't say, "Well, we don't want to hire anyone who has sex with donkeys on film, but your film was on youtube, so we'll make an exception".
At least from the articles, it does seem that the online publication of these images is being made an issue in this case.
posted by KirkJobSluder at 2:45 PM on June 17, 2006
She's an art teacher who is expected to engage in continuing professional development as both a teacher and an artist. It seems a bit absurd to limit her practices as an artist to safe watercolor landscapes and still life paintings. (And yes, I think that being a model for the art of others is part of that practice.)
bugbread: So if your employer doesn't like you having nude photos, or sex vids, or whathaveyou, that won't change just because internet materials are common, and your employer probably won't say, "Well, we don't want to hire anyone who has sex with donkeys on film, but your film was on youtube, so we'll make an exception".
At least from the articles, it does seem that the online publication of these images is being made an issue in this case.
posted by KirkJobSluder at 2:45 PM on June 17, 2006
Damn, EB! Only four sentences? Did you take a vow of silence?
Austin may not be as bad as the rest of the state, but I wasn't talking about it, was I now?
posted by c13 at 2:56 PM on June 17, 2006
Austin may not be as bad as the rest of the state, but I wasn't talking about it, was I now?
posted by c13 at 2:56 PM on June 17, 2006
If these are really the removed photos then laaaaaaaame!!!!
posted by criticalbill at 2:57 PM on June 17, 2006
posted by criticalbill at 2:57 PM on June 17, 2006
KirkJobSluder : "Well, isn't there a bit of a difference between the two cases in that one appears to be in the context of art photographs, while the other appears to be explicitly made pornography for that market?"
Yes, I didn't mean to fully equate them. I just meant that in both cases, the content was the problem, not the media.
KirkJobSluder : "She's an art teacher who is expected to engage in continuing professional development as both a teacher and an artist. It seems a bit absurd to limit her practices as an artist to safe watercolor landscapes and still life paintings."
Hey, I'm not defending her firing. I'm just talking about the internet role.
KirkJobSluder : "At least from the articles, it does seem that the online publication of these images is being made an issue in this case."
True, but I think the emphasis on importance is being placed on "publication", and the emphasis on interest is being placed on "online". For example, if someone kills a kid with a lawnmower, it will be heavily reported as a lawnmower killing, but the thing that gets the person jailed will be the killing part, not the lawnmower part. (Once again, not comparing what she did to the last scene in Dead Alive, just talking about news' style of emphasizing novelty). I think the same thing would probably have happened if she had nude shots available publicly in a free, non-internet form (zine? I dunno). So I think in 30 years, if another teacher had nude shots available online, they'd still get in trouble, but the press wouldn't make a big deal about the "internet" part, just the "publication" part, because the "internet" part would be obvious and commonsense.
posted by Bugbread at 3:52 PM on June 17, 2006
Yes, I didn't mean to fully equate them. I just meant that in both cases, the content was the problem, not the media.
KirkJobSluder : "She's an art teacher who is expected to engage in continuing professional development as both a teacher and an artist. It seems a bit absurd to limit her practices as an artist to safe watercolor landscapes and still life paintings."
Hey, I'm not defending her firing. I'm just talking about the internet role.
KirkJobSluder : "At least from the articles, it does seem that the online publication of these images is being made an issue in this case."
True, but I think the emphasis on importance is being placed on "publication", and the emphasis on interest is being placed on "online". For example, if someone kills a kid with a lawnmower, it will be heavily reported as a lawnmower killing, but the thing that gets the person jailed will be the killing part, not the lawnmower part. (Once again, not comparing what she did to the last scene in Dead Alive, just talking about news' style of emphasizing novelty). I think the same thing would probably have happened if she had nude shots available publicly in a free, non-internet form (zine? I dunno). So I think in 30 years, if another teacher had nude shots available online, they'd still get in trouble, but the press wouldn't make a big deal about the "internet" part, just the "publication" part, because the "internet" part would be obvious and commonsense.
posted by Bugbread at 3:52 PM on June 17, 2006
bugbread: Well, I don't know if she would have been in trouble if the photos were shown in a private exhibition out there. But I could be wrong on that.
posted by KirkJobSluder at 6:33 PM on June 17, 2006
posted by KirkJobSluder at 6:33 PM on June 17, 2006
i didnt realise just how nsfw these photos were - the two of them , going at it like rabbits that fell into a vat of baby oil - i'm glad the naughty pictures have been taken down now , cause trust me guys , you really wouldnt have wanted to see them.
posted by sgt.serenity at 7:04 PM on June 17, 2006
posted by sgt.serenity at 7:04 PM on June 17, 2006
A private exhibition is a tad harder to judge. I couldn't hazard a guess myself. After all, a private exhibition, by virtue of costing money and having limited access, has a much "artier" feeling. An art teacher might be able to convince other people of its appropriateness. I think the "free, and anyone (including students) can see it" thing is big, which is why I said, possibly, zines as a non-electronic comparison. After all, the issue doesn't come down to what is Right or what is Wrong, but what parents and administrators think is right or wrong, and I think professional art books, exhibitions at museums, and the like might be enough to sway parents and admins.
posted by Bugbread at 7:06 PM on June 17, 2006
posted by Bugbread at 7:06 PM on June 17, 2006
Deep Dish writes "You know what? If you have not ever woke up after a bender, stolen something, had a romance with someone who is or causes you to be bad and self destructive, levelled a protest or criticism against your government because it was doing something cruel and evil in your name, drove though a shitty part of town of town looking for drugs, saw nude photos of yourself circulating or done any one of the ever-growing number of things which gets you labelled a pariah who is unfit to serve humanity as a teacher, politician, or parent ----- you have probably not done much of anything with your life."
And my parents said I would never do anything with my life ...
posted by krinklyfig at 12:42 AM on June 18, 2006
And my parents said I would never do anything with my life ...
posted by krinklyfig at 12:42 AM on June 18, 2006
From above : A student notified school officials about the site's content, namely several portraits that show Hoover nude from the waist up.
Heeeello..... Its 2006.... wake up middle America.... the middle ages are over. or not.
posted by adamvasco at 1:51 AM on June 18, 2006
Heeeello..... Its 2006.... wake up middle America.... the middle ages are over. or not.
posted by adamvasco at 1:51 AM on June 18, 2006
AISD has a bunch of asshats in charge, I am not surprised they did this. I have a friend who worked as a substitute for AISD, who was fired for being hit by a special-ed kid (hard enough to break his glasses). And his unemployment was contested (and the asshats won, tragically). This is not a district run by reasonable people.
My child is one of the elementary schools in this district for now, but she will be in private school in a few / several years.
posted by beth at 3:10 AM on June 18, 2006
My child is one of the elementary schools in this district for now, but she will be in private school in a few / several years.
posted by beth at 3:10 AM on June 18, 2006
In fairness to Texas, how the heck would Hank Hill esplain this to Bobby? The boy ain't right at the best of times.
posted by crowman at 5:51 AM on June 18, 2006
posted by crowman at 5:51 AM on June 18, 2006
Notable: topless
Notable-lessness: doodle art, Photo Shop
posted by wallstreet1929 at 7:22 AM on June 18, 2006
Notable-lessness: doodle art, Photo Shop
posted by wallstreet1929 at 7:22 AM on June 18, 2006
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. [...] Hoover said Friday the photos are art and makes no apologies.
Good for her. I don't say this often, but something tells me that a few people in power here are just a little apprehensive around beautiful, arty, connected people.
*Calls Tamara over to the Metafilter courtesy phone, suggests username "flickrdooce"*
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 8:39 AM on June 18, 2006
Good for her. I don't say this often, but something tells me that a few people in power here are just a little apprehensive around beautiful, arty, connected people.
*Calls Tamara over to the Metafilter courtesy phone, suggests username "flickrdooce"*
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 8:39 AM on June 18, 2006
Austin may not be as bad as the rest of the state, but I wasn't talking about it, was I now?
I dunno, you said, "ignorant ass backwards hell hole" and "move to a normal state" without any qualifiers, so it could be reasonably assumed that you meant all of Texas.
Which is bullshit. Texas isn't a hell-hole (well, I guess some parts are. But those parts exist everywhere. You're probably just ignoring them.) It's not the Promised Land either. I'd say no place is, but you seem to think you know the proper zip code/country to live in. So, please, tell us. Where is it?
posted by Cyrano at 9:22 AM on June 18, 2006
I dunno, you said, "ignorant ass backwards hell hole" and "move to a normal state" without any qualifiers, so it could be reasonably assumed that you meant all of Texas.
Which is bullshit. Texas isn't a hell-hole (well, I guess some parts are. But those parts exist everywhere. You're probably just ignoring them.) It's not the Promised Land either. I'd say no place is, but you seem to think you know the proper zip code/country to live in. So, please, tell us. Where is it?
posted by Cyrano at 9:22 AM on June 18, 2006
I'm a teacher of very very small children and also an artist. I have been a nude model and also taken the oh-so-pretentious nude self-portrait on occasion.
As soon as I was hired for my job, I took down all personal information on the internets that had any identifying information (basically, I deleted my livejournal and started an anonymous blog elsewhere). I am very very careful about what I post publicly online because I know that especially in my field - it's not the kids' opinion that matters, but their PARENTS. And parents are an uppity bunch. I wouldn't want any of my kids' parents to come across anything I had written that was personal or any "questionable" photos of me because that would put my job in immediate jeopardy.
I think that anyone who questions the actions of the school district needs to remember they're not worried about what the *students* think about her art, they're worried about the parents. Would parents fire Georgia O'Keefe for posting naked pictures on Flickr? In a heartbeat.
posted by grapefruitmoon at 12:03 PM on June 18, 2006
As soon as I was hired for my job, I took down all personal information on the internets that had any identifying information (basically, I deleted my livejournal and started an anonymous blog elsewhere). I am very very careful about what I post publicly online because I know that especially in my field - it's not the kids' opinion that matters, but their PARENTS. And parents are an uppity bunch. I wouldn't want any of my kids' parents to come across anything I had written that was personal or any "questionable" photos of me because that would put my job in immediate jeopardy.
I think that anyone who questions the actions of the school district needs to remember they're not worried about what the *students* think about her art, they're worried about the parents. Would parents fire Georgia O'Keefe for posting naked pictures on Flickr? In a heartbeat.
posted by grapefruitmoon at 12:03 PM on June 18, 2006
(Also: Tamara's art is really great.)
posted by grapefruitmoon at 12:04 PM on June 18, 2006
posted by grapefruitmoon at 12:04 PM on June 18, 2006
The solution to this problem is easy: remove the nipples from all teachers.
posted by five fresh fish at 2:11 PM on June 18, 2006
posted by five fresh fish at 2:11 PM on June 18, 2006
I think that anyone who questions the actions of the school district needs to remember they're not worried about what the *students* think about her art, they're worried about the parents.
So. They're not worried about another teacher showing the photos to students in class? That's the one part of this story that makes no sense--the rest, given the way school admins. act, I can understand. Sounds to me like she has a case should she choose to press it.
posted by raysmj at 6:27 PM on June 18, 2006
So. They're not worried about another teacher showing the photos to students in class? That's the one part of this story that makes no sense--the rest, given the way school admins. act, I can understand. Sounds to me like she has a case should she choose to press it.
posted by raysmj at 6:27 PM on June 18, 2006
As I read it, students showed the photos to the other teacher, not the other way around, raysmj.
posted by squarehead at 9:32 PM on June 18, 2006
posted by squarehead at 9:32 PM on June 18, 2006
She was told, the article says, that the photos were something that would get the teacher in trouble, and yet she looked up the URL and sat there looking at the photos with students. Then, she "realized" she was with students and working on a school computer. Riiiight.
posted by raysmj at 10:30 PM on June 18, 2006
posted by raysmj at 10:30 PM on June 18, 2006
Reading the article again, it is slightly ambiguous as to whether the nude-model-teacher's apparent nemesis had been told specifically that the photos involved nudity. But the article makes clear that was she told about the photos and that they could get her fellow teacher in trouble. Seems to me she could have waited until the students were away, and she wasn't working on a school computer. Still, the "realized" part sounds like the reaction of someone who knew she was doing something not quite kosher--and others commenting below the piece seemed to pick up on that.
posted by raysmj at 10:37 PM on June 18, 2006
posted by raysmj at 10:37 PM on June 18, 2006
I think I just happened upon them from going to one photographer I liked on flickr to the next. I definitely recall a post-shower sudsy naked photo. Was pretty.
I totally remember seeing Tamara and her girlfriend, Celest, on Flkr a few months ago. I even added Celest as one of my contacts because her work is so beautiful. They are both talented photographers. I imagine this won't be the last we see of these two. High School students should be able to handle nude pictures. She didn't show the students the pictures herself. What a dirty trick the other art teacher pulled. What kind of art teacher contributes to the censorship of another artist.
posted by Titania at 10:45 PM on June 18, 2006
I totally remember seeing Tamara and her girlfriend, Celest, on Flkr a few months ago. I even added Celest as one of my contacts because her work is so beautiful. They are both talented photographers. I imagine this won't be the last we see of these two. High School students should be able to handle nude pictures. She didn't show the students the pictures herself. What a dirty trick the other art teacher pulled. What kind of art teacher contributes to the censorship of another artist.
posted by Titania at 10:45 PM on June 18, 2006
Titania: What kind of art teacher contributes to the censorship of another artist.
An inferior one? A republican one?
Oh, say. Does that 'banner' thing still wave over the land of the free?
posted by Goofyy at 3:06 AM on June 19, 2006
An inferior one? A republican one?
Oh, say. Does that 'banner' thing still wave over the land of the free?
posted by Goofyy at 3:06 AM on June 19, 2006
Titania : "What kind of art teacher contributes to the censorship of another artist."
An insecure or immature one. So, basically, somewhere between 90 and 95% of them, if they have a chance.
posted by Bugbread at 3:51 AM on June 19, 2006
An insecure or immature one. So, basically, somewhere between 90 and 95% of them, if they have a chance.
posted by Bugbread at 3:51 AM on June 19, 2006
The school district was damn lucky to have anything approximating a "real" artist on staff.
And unfortunately, it sounds like O'Keeffe would have been run out on a rail too. Can you imagine what woulda happened if they had hired Mapplethorpe? They may have performed a lynching.
posted by Ynoxas at 7:00 AM on June 19, 2006
And unfortunately, it sounds like O'Keeffe would have been run out on a rail too. Can you imagine what woulda happened if they had hired Mapplethorpe? They may have performed a lynching.
posted by Ynoxas at 7:00 AM on June 19, 2006
My parents met in art school, quite a few of my immediate family are well-known painters in their own particular genres, my fiance's an artist as well. In other words, I come from a totally artsy fartsy family... and so this not only pisses me off, but also pushes me even further towards the No Kid of Mine Is Going to Public School decision (if & when we have kids). The photos are beautifully, both Tamara and her partner are clearly talented, and damn it -- why isn't that other moron teacher the one on the firing line? I read elsewhere that Moron Teacher (Gayle something or another, I forget) is some kind of nationally recognized teacher -- gah! If being a whinybaby tattletale is enough to get you a national award, then I don't want prizewinning teachers coming anywhere near me!
posted by bitter-girl.com at 8:02 AM on June 19, 2006
posted by bitter-girl.com at 8:02 AM on June 19, 2006
raysmj: "Reading the article again, it is slightly ambiguous as to whether the nude-model-teacher's apparent nemesis had been told specifically that the photos involved nudity. But the article makes clear that was she told about the photos and that they could get her fellow teacher in trouble. Seems to me she could have waited until the students were away, and she wasn't working on a school computer. Still, the "realized" part sounds like the reaction of someone who knew she was doing something not quite kosher--and others commenting below the piece seemed to pick up on that."
Fair enough, and I agree with you. I just meant that it didn't seem like she was showing the pictures to any kids, they were showing them to her and had already seen them, and it didn't say anywhere that it was in class, it might have been after school. Anyway, she sounds like an ass who went out of her way to cause someone else a lot of trouble. I wish the best to Tamara.
posted by squarehead at 7:20 PM on June 19, 2006
Fair enough, and I agree with you. I just meant that it didn't seem like she was showing the pictures to any kids, they were showing them to her and had already seen them, and it didn't say anywhere that it was in class, it might have been after school. Anyway, she sounds like an ass who went out of her way to cause someone else a lot of trouble. I wish the best to Tamara.
posted by squarehead at 7:20 PM on June 19, 2006
Deep Dish writes "Actually I am sick of this movement in North America - it is worse in USA but I live in Canada and it creeps into elements of our society too..."
Luckily Canada is much better and sees this virginal princess crap for what it is. John Manley had to concede in an interview May 1st, 2003 with The Canadian Press that the psychedelic 60s passed him by. "No, never," Manley deadpanned when asked if he'd ever smoked pot. "I regret that, now, because apparently it's 'de rigueur.' "
sourbrew writes "for a while you could find a lot of the photos by searching for the tamara, some were light bdsm, and there were a couple of shower shots. While i sympathize what was this woman thinking."
That art pictures taken on her own time and published on her dime should be her business?
posted by Mitheral at 10:25 AM on June 22, 2006
Luckily Canada is much better and sees this virginal princess crap for what it is. John Manley had to concede in an interview May 1st, 2003 with The Canadian Press that the psychedelic 60s passed him by. "No, never," Manley deadpanned when asked if he'd ever smoked pot. "I regret that, now, because apparently it's 'de rigueur.' "
sourbrew writes "for a while you could find a lot of the photos by searching for the tamara, some were light bdsm, and there were a couple of shower shots. While i sympathize what was this woman thinking."
That art pictures taken on her own time and published on her dime should be her business?
posted by Mitheral at 10:25 AM on June 22, 2006
Mitheral : "That art pictures taken on her own time and published on her dime should be her business?"
I disagree with her firing, but doesn't the word "publish" kinda mean, by definition, that it's no longer personal business but public?
posted by Bugbread at 7:12 PM on June 22, 2006
I disagree with her firing, but doesn't the word "publish" kinda mean, by definition, that it's no longer personal business but public?
posted by Bugbread at 7:12 PM on June 22, 2006
Public but personal. It wasn't like she was being photographed on school property or otherwise associating the school with the photographs. And she wasn't doing anything illegal in the photos that I'm aware of.
posted by Mitheral at 6:39 AM on June 23, 2006
posted by Mitheral at 6:39 AM on June 23, 2006
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This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
That being said, maybe teachers don't need their own frickin' MySpace sites. In fact, maybe no one needs a MySpace site if they are older than 13. Can we just agree on that?
posted by xmutex at 11:13 AM on June 17, 2006