Cristy Nicole Deweese, 21, teaches Spanish at Townview Magnet High School in Dallas, Texas. Some parents have become outraged when it was brought up to their awareness that Cristy had once posed for Playboy Magazine and its online publication three years prior.
At 18 years of age, she was dubbed “Co-Ed of the Month, in Feb. 2011 and posed full-frontal for her fans. She also donned the traditional lingerie and “bunny outfit” as well as simulated lesbian sex with another model. Cristy says she had been modeling for many years to try to pay for school. She had stopped modeling in such provocative manners for over a year before she obtained the teaching position.
While some parents, mostly worried mothers, decry their sons will never be able to “focus” while in class, other students (a female student in fact) says that Senora Deweese is a great teacher and she hopes she isn’t removed from her position.
This is not the first time inappropriate photos or images on social media have come back to haunt teachers. Carla McKinney caught the ire of parents when she tweeted nude photos of herself while she held her position. Stacie Halas lost an appeal to save her position after it came to light of her previous career in porn. While I thought Carla should have been fired because she was contributing inappropriate language and photos while maintaining her position, I still think Stacie should never have been fired.
Similarly, I do not think Cristy should be fired. I think it is a bit hypocritical to condemn such behavior, while refusing to accept the person has tried to move on with their lives. Cristy isn’t still posing nude. If the school missed this in their background check, and if they were concerned with her past, then this is their problem. As far as I am concerned Cristy hasn’t done anything wrong. She tried to support herself.
Would we as society be less condemning if she had become a drug dealer?
I wonder if we would see the same outrage if it was a male teacher instead.
I think her position should be based on merit. If she posed while still teaching I would have a problem. Additionally, I don’t think teachers really are supposed to be children’s role models. I have a problem with parents delegating their personal responsibility to be the ultimate role model for their child.
Should Cristy be fired?
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