Teacher forced to resign over inappropriate pics on her phone. Something is just wrong here

[Dis703]

So I'm wondering how many people added passwords to their phones since this thread started!

Ha ha. I actually never had a password on my phone until I lost my phone this past Halloween. I had a somewhat mild but sexy photo on it that I sent to my DH and I was mortified that someone could potentially find that picture. Being as it was lost in my neighborhood within a block or two of my home no doubt anyone who might have picked it up would also have known who I was. From now on I use a password on my phone.

 

[GaryDis]

Some general comments:

The fact that the teacher was teaching technology changes my view (just a little) with regard to expecting her to know to lock her phone. A non-technical person would get more leeway from me.

I really wish people would learn and observe the difference between nudity and pornography. It's really difficult to have reasonable discussions when people use "pornography" in a way that includes bear skin rug baby pictures, Michelangelo's David, and some scientific textbooks and journals.

I wish I understood why people think that such pictures could be harmful to teens.

Finally: I was in high school the first year the Mets won the World Series. My English teacher was an enthusiastic fan, with tickets to one of the games, and we were her last class of the day. She left us on our own so she could get to the game. That would never be done now, and might have been worthy of a reprimand back then, but we deserved that level of trust and proved it. It was an Honors class - I doubt she would have done it for one of her mainstream classes. But my point is that it's really, really sad that she couldn't trust her class for the few minutes she had to be in the hall. I understand why people think that a bad apple is inevitable, but I don't understand why they think it's acceptable.

 

[Wishing on a star]

I'm curious. For those who think the school is justified in firing the teacher... if her phone would have been locked and the student actually had to hack into the phone to get the picture, would your opinion change?

Yes, my opinion might possibly change.
I don't know about firing the teacher without some due process...
But, my opinion of the teacher MIGHT change.

But now that I am seeing this on the mainstream morning news, TWO things actually reinforce my opinion/judgment of this woman, and so, no, my thoughts will not change.

1. The school said that it seems her phone was often out in the classroom, and students were allowed to use it.

2. And this is another big kicker for me... This teacher is on camera talking about some "expectation of privacy"..... On an unlocked device that was not put away, in a classroom? Ummm, okaaaaayyyyy. That says all I need to know.

PS: I do think that the school has gone overboard in their actions... In many cases a teacher could do FAR worse, such as alleged inappropriate relationship with a child, and still get plenty of due process.

 

[RedAngie]

So I'm wondering how many people added passwords to their phones since this thread started!

I have a password for my phone, but seldom use it. Like almost never. If someone stole my phone they'd be bored to death looking at 273 pictures of my cat, or blurry photos from vacation spots, or other innocuous matter. If I tried to take even a semi-nude selfie, the camera would probably explode.

I think 'strokes' could be interpreted as a semi-pornographic term, potentially intended to excite

This reminds me of the old joke where two little old ladies are sitting on a park bench. A pervert approaches, opens his raincoat, and flashes them.

I suppose I shouldn't continue. You can google the rest.

 

[nkereina]

Really? You think most of us think the teen is some sweet innocent? Ummm...Nope. Not even close. News flash...there are more than a few really awful high school students. They are certain boundaries don't apply to them. They push them all the time.

A few posters are saying the teacher should have known that high schoolers are punks and not left her phone on the desk. That is saying, in essence, that teens will be teens and the teacher should have the foresight to predict what antics they will pull when she's not around or caught off guard. Which, in essence, defends the high schooler's actions. If you think the kid was in the wrong and should be punished, then you can't blame the teacher for innocently leaving her personal property on her desk where she has a reasonable expectation of safety.

 

[RitaE]

I'm curious. For those who think the school is justified in firing the teacher... if her phone would have been locked and the student actually had to hack into the phone to get the picture, would your opinion change?

It would definitely take me more onto her side of the equation.

As I said, I do feel bad for her. I think she made some atrocious decisions here and unfortunately, the consequences are likely going to be way too harsh for what she did. I can comprehend why the school took their action, but I don't think she deserves to have her entire career eliminated because she was careless with her smartphone.

 

[Wishing on a star]

A few posters are saying the teacher should have known that high schoolers are punks and not left her phone on the desk. That is saying, in essence, that teens will be teens and the teacher should have the foresight to predict what antics they will pull when she's not around or caught off guard. Which, in essence, defends the high schooler's actions. If you think the kid was in the wrong and should be punished, then you can't blame the teacher for innocently leaving her personal property on her desk where she has a reasonable expectation of safety.

I disagree.... knowing that teenagers will sometimes/often do things that teens do, is in no way defending this kids criminal actions.
Stating the obvious is not necessarily 'defending' or 'justifying'.
This was a criminal action, and IMHO, this should be addressed.

Sadly, the kid seems to be getting more consideration and due-process than the teacher.

I also very very strongly disagree that one should feel like they can leave a smartphone sitting around with ANY reasonable expectation that nobody is going to touch it.
Very much the opposite!

 

[AnnaFloridaLover]

It would definitely take me more onto her side of the equation.

As I said, I do feel bad for her. I think she made some atrocious decisions here and unfortunately, the consequences are likely going to be way too harsh for what she did. I can comprehend why the school took their action, but I don't think she deserves to have her entire career eliminated because she was careless with her smartphone.

Atrocious decisions? She didn't kill or maim anyone. She didn't drink and drive. She didn't engage in sexual contact with a student. She took a topless picture of herself on her private but unlocked phone.

 

[sunshinehighway]

I have a password for my phone, but seldom use it. Like almost never. If someone stole my phone they'd be bored to death looking at 273 pictures of my cat, or blurry photos from vacation spots, or other innocuous matter. If I tried to take even a semi-nude selfie, the camera would probably explode.



This reminds me of the old joke where two little old ladies are sitting on a park bench. A pervert approaches, opens his raincoat, and flashes them.

I suppose I shouldn't continue. You can google the rest.

All your cat pictures bring up a good point. There a good chance she completely forgot the pictures were even there. I have hundreds of pictures on my phone just in the gallery app, add in the app that backs up my pictures and there is just about every picture I've taken worth any of my phones for the past 3 years or uploaded to my computer at some point. I highly doubt she even thought much about the picture being there anymore. It's not like her phone was just full of semi nude pics.

 

[gwynne]

A few posters are saying the teacher should have known that high schoolers are punks and not left her phone on the desk. That is saying, in essence, that teens will be teens and the teacher should have the foresight to predict what antics they will pull when she's not around or caught off guard. Which, in essence, defends the high schooler's actions. If you think the kid was in the wrong and should be punished, then you can't blame the teacher for innocently leaving her personal property on her desk where she has a reasonable expectation of safety.

Yea, I don't know any high school teachers who leave out cash or valuable property (completely unattended and in plain sight) and think they have a "reasonable expectation of safety."
Would it be the teacher's fault if someone steals their property? No. But the teacher helped the process along by providing opportunity. The teachers I know try to avoid hassles, that includes being cautious and pro-active with cash and valuables.

 

[nkereina]

I disagree.... knowing that teenagers will sometimes/often do things that teens do, is in no way defending this kids criminal actions.
Stating the obvious is not necessarily 'defending' or 'justifying'.
This was a criminal action, and IMHO, this should be addressed.

Sadly, the kid seems to be getting more consideration and due-process than the teacher.

I also very very strongly disagree that one should feel like they can leave a smartphone sitting around with ANY reasonable expectation that nobody is going to touch it.
Very much the opposite!

Agree to disagree. But by your view point, anyone who leaves their phone on a coffee table with guests over, on their desk at the office, on the table at a restaurant while visiting the restroom, on the counter at a party, etc etc is in the wrong and should take the blame if someone takes it upon themselves to go through it. I don't know of anyone who is in constant possession of their phone (except for someone cheating on their spouse maybe), and the ones that are would really be in the minority.

 

[nkereina]

Yea, I don't know any high school teachers who leave out cash or valuable property (completely unattended and in plain sight) and think they have a "reasonable expectation of safety."
Would it be the teacher's fault if someone steals their property? No. But the teacher helped the process along by providing opportunity. The teachers I know try to avoid hassles, that includes being cautious and pro-active with cash and valuables.

High schoolers are nearly adults who know right from wrong. If they can't be trusted to not touch their teacher's phone that's sitting in her personal space, then that school has bigger problems than a half naked teacher.

 

[AnnaFloridaLover]

I remember when I was in school, the teachers would leave their purses on their desks. They would also leave their books with everyone's marks in them. We would have been skinned alive if we touched them. No one would dare suggest it would be the teacher's fault if money was stolen from the purse or someone peeked at everyone's mark and spread the info.

 

[AnnaFloridaLover]

Yea, I don't know any high school teachers who leave out cash or valuable property (completely unattended and in plain sight) and think they have a "reasonable expectation of safety."
Would it be the teacher's fault if someone steals their property? No. But the teacher helped the process along by providing opportunity. The teachers I know try to avoid hassles, that includes being cautious and pro-active with cash and valuables.

Wow, talk about victim blaming. Stores should probably lock up their goods to, flaunting their wares like that.

 

[mjkacmom]

Agree to disagree. But by your view point, anyone who leaves their phone on a coffee table with guests over, on their desk at the office, on the table at a restaurant while visiting the restroom, on the counter at a party, etc etc is in the wrong and should take the blame if someone takes it upon themselves to go through it. I don't know of anyone who is in constant possession of their phone (except for someone cheating on their spouse maybe), and the ones that are would really be in the minority.

That's a good point. When I'm trying to find more storage, I start deleting photos and videos, that I forgot we're even there, or that I thought I deleted.

My phone locks, but my kids have my password. I'm not one to have anything that needs to be kept private on my phone, so my kids will pick it up, look at photos, etc. one time there were a bunch of texts I didn't want my kids to see, but I forgot to delete them, since it's usually not an issue. Dd14 saw them, and I felt awful.

 

[kamik86]

A few posters are saying the teacher should have known that high schoolers are punks and not left her phone on the desk. That is saying, in essence, that teens will be teens and the teacher should have the foresight to predict what antics they will pull when she's not around or caught off guard. Which, in essence, defends the high schooler's actions. If you think the kid was in the wrong and should be punished, then you can't blame the teacher for innocently leaving her personal property on her desk where she has a reasonable expectation of safety.

No it doesn't.
Just because it is wrong for someone to steal doesn't mean she had a reasonable expectation of safety.

If someone leaves a car unlocked in a bad neighborhood they are a moron. The person that steals from them is still a thief though.

 

[gwynne]

High schoolers are nearly adults who know right from wrong. If they can't be trusted to not touch their teacher's phone that's sitting in her personal space, then that school has bigger problems than a half naked teacher.

I remember when I was in school, the teachers would leave their purses on their desks. They would also leave their books with everyone's marks in them. We would have been skinned alive if we touched them. No one would dare suggest it would be the teacher's fault if money was stolen from the purse or someone peeked at everyone's mark and spread the info.

It's a different world now. Have you talked to a high school teacher recently? Some students still are taught respect, personal responsibility. Others? They know that no matter what happens, their parents are there to advocate for them. Plenty of special snowflakes who think rules and respect don't apply to them.

 

[nkereina]

No it doesn't.
Just because it is wrong for someone to steal doesn't mean she had a reasonable expectation of safety.

If someone leaves a car unlocked in a bad neighborhood they are a moron. The person that steals from them is still a thief though.

So you never leave your phone on your desk at work to run to the copier? Or on a table at home charging while other people are at home? It was her desk that no one had a right to touch anything on and she had her phone sitting on it while she ran out for a second. This wasn't leaving her car unlocked with an envelope of cash sitting in plain sight for any stranger to snatch.

 

[brooke789]

This is local news for me. Has anyone mentioned that there is a petition that is being signed by students to give her her job back? I saw it on the news yesterday.

ETA: over 3K signatures. http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/bring-back-mrs-arthur

 

[kamik86]

Agree to disagree. But by your view point, anyone who leaves their phone on a coffee table with guests over, on their desk at the office, on the table at a restaurant while visiting the restroom, on the counter at a party, etc etc is in the wrong and should take the blame if someone takes it upon themselves to go through it. I don't know of anyone who is in constant possession of their phone (except for someone cheating on their spouse maybe), and the ones that are would really be in the minority.

Coffee table with guests: Well if I have guests they are friends so no I have a reasonable expectation my friends will not steal from me. If not I wouldn't have let them in.

A desk in the office... yeah I will leave my phone but its certainly going to be locked. I generally trust most of my coworkers but I don't know who is going to happen by, even in a locked off room of the office.

The restaurant or the party... yeah would people really do this? That is just as bad as in a class of high school kids.