Porn Star Teacher to Appeal School Firing
An ex-porn star turned science teacher plans to fight her firing, after coworkers exposed some of her pre-school exploits online.
Stacie Halas, 32, was placed on paid administrative leave after rumors spread around Haydock Intermediate School in Oxnard, Calif., about her porn video, the Ventura County Star reports.
School administrators initially failed to find evidence of Halas' alleged porn-star past, because the school's Internet porn filters blocked those sites. But fellow teachers did their homework.
Stacie Halas' coworkers used their smartphones to bypass the school's Internet filters and found evidence of the porn star teacher's former career, for which she used the pseudonym "Tiffany Six," ABC News reports.
In light of the video evidence, Oxnard's school trustees voted to fire Halas from her teaching job April 18. Halas' presence would disrupt student learning, the board said.
Halas' lawyer told the Ventura County Star his client plans "to vigorously contest the charges," which seek to punish Halas for conduct that is not illegal.
"The type of conduct she engaged in was lawful conduct in a business which, while others may disagree with its content, is very vibrant in both Los Angeles as well as the state of California," Halas' lawyer said.
But Oxnard's school board president defended Halas' firing. "We must do what's right for students, staff and parents by maintaining the focus on education," she told the Star.
A key factor in the dispute over Halas' firing could be her employment contract, if she has one. In general, an employer must have "good cause" to fire an employee under contract; "workplace disruptions" may suffice, depending on the circumstances.
Pursuant to the school district's policies, Stacie Halas has 30 days to formally contest her firing and seek an administrative hearing. Her lawyer says that's exactly what the ex-porn star teacher plans to do.
Related Resources:
- Teacher accused of being in porn film did nothing illegal, attorney says (Los Angeles Times)
- HS Teacher Tericka Dye Exposed as Ex-Porn Star (FindLaw's Law and Daily Life)
- MI Teacher Fired Over Trayvon Fundraiser? (FindLaw's Law and Daily Life)
- Wrongful Termination Claims (FindLaw)