Tamara Hoover, Austin, Texas High School Teacher Resigns
I commented about this back in June:
Also, The Jawa Report has been following this story too.
Here's an excerpt from Tamara's blog on myspace regarding the resignation:
Under advice of my lawyer (and not without great resistance on my part)
I have agreed to settle the matter with AISD out of court.
With this agreement the district asked that I resign my position as an art teacher at Austin High School.
My legal bills were mounting and my lawyer felt that the settlement was in my best interest. : (I am proud of the things that I saw happen through this incident. I saw a city come together and celebrate individuality, diversity and love.
There is work to do. I plan on being right in the middle of it.
Meanwhile, I will get my masters and hopefully teach at a university somewhere.
I sincerely wish her luck and great success. And applaud her positive attitude. I'm also relieved she didn't do something silly like get the ACLU involved. That organization's charter needs to be revoked. But that subject can wait for another day.
From Statesmen.com:
Art teacher Tamara Hoover has resigned from her job at Austin High School, extinguishing a firestorm that began when nude pictures of her online were brought to the attention of school administrators.
Hoover submitted a resignation letter Wednesday and, pending expected school board approval Monday, will receive a $14,850 settlement from the Austin school district, several months' salary.
"The district believes strongly in an individual's right of free expression, but as we all know, such rights are not absolute," district officials said in a statement Thursday. "The district and Ms. Hoover disagreed as to the propriety of explicit nude photographs of her and others in sexually suggestive poses being placed on the Internet, and its impact on students and families, and thus, on Ms. Hoover's ability to be an appropriate role model and effective classroom teacher in AISD."
Hoover said she's sad about the outcome but will focus on moving forward. "I wasn't prepared to stop teaching. I never wanted to resign from teaching. I don't think this is the most ideal outcome. I was definitely impressed by (the district's) willingness to come to the table. I just wish they would have done that in the beginning."
Hoover had been on paid administrative leave since May 22 after another Austin High art teacher, Gayle Andrews, told a colleague about the nude pictures of Hoover. That co-worker then informed school officials.
Read the entire article.