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

[PollyannaMom]

Or, her classroom is normally so calm and organized that she had no reason to think her personal items were at any risk.

Or on one day she was really focused on something with a student right up to the bell and had to rush out to hall duty and forgot.

This would be one of those tiny glimpses of a person that I think does not give an outsider nearly enough information to evaluate if they are any good at their job or not.

Oh, I agree that alone wouldn't be enough, but the second half to my post came into play for me too. If DS had seen the pictures, he simply would not have felt the same level of respect for her. It's not really fair, I know! - since they were private photos, and nobody was meant to see them.

But I didn't want it to sound as if her simply having the pictures made me think she was a horrible person, either, so I mentioned both thoughts. (I guess trying to make myself look less "judge-y" actually made me look more so.)

 

[NHdisneylover]

Most everyone carries a

Someone who smokes may have cigs in their purse. Someone on medications may carry them with them. Both may be needed during the workday. It would be reasonable to expect a teacher to use some ordinary care in keeping these products safe from students.
I'm not sure why someone needs their nude photos available to them in the workplace.

I wouldn't let the kid off the hook at all in either the hypothetical or real situation.

phone on them these days--it happens that phones have multiple uses, thus the pictures in the gallery--it is not like she had prints on her desk.

I guess it is more like if a teacher who smokes had a lighter in their purse and the lighter were taken by a student and used to start a fire.
Again, something which is normal to carry and primarily used for a reasonable purpose being taken by a student and misused.
Except, in this case the "missues" also victimizes the teacher it was stolen from.

 

[RitaE]

Note to self: Add passcode to phone. LOL

Not that I have any horrifying pictures on there, but I guess it'd be better if random people weren't combing through my private emails.

I absolutely agree that the students responsible should be facing discipline and I hope they are. Hopefully by allowing her to resign, the teacher has maintained whatever pension or similar benefits she might have accrued and hopefully somebody is working in the background helping her to obtain a new position. I think that would be the best case scenario.

 

[TAX GUY]

Omg! Is anyone else thinking about some of their past teachers and seeing them naked!?! (shudder)

I feel bad for her. I really do. I know in today's world people snap nudes of themselves all the time. Heck DH is constantly hounding me to send him one! Lol. This is EXACTLY why I don't. I would be mortified if it ever ended up in the wrong hands and I'm not even close to a career that is required to be prudent. The kid should be in big trouble. The teacher didn't cover all her bases to prevent this. It's a mess all around.

Which is why she's in trouble right now

Sorry, my male mind twisted that sentence to make a funny.

 

[RitaE]

I have to add that with all the Cloud based technology now she might not have even taken the photos with the phone. I have pictures that I take with one device or put into the Cloud show up on all my devices these days, and sometimes I don't even want them to.

 

[PollyannaMom]

So, if a teacher (one who works with teens, not little kids) who smokes had cigarettes in her purse, was out on hall duty, and a student went through her things and took and smoked cigarettes would those of you who blame the this teacher also blame that one for bringing cigarettes to school?

What if the student had stolen the teacher's prescription medication and taken it?

Absolutely on the student!! But, still smart to keep those things in your locked drawer.

 

[BigAlsGal]

Which is why she's in trouble right now

Sorry, my male mind twisted that sentence to make a funny.

Exactly!!

COVER YOUR BASES LADIES!!!

 

[Heidict]

Punk kid needs to be punished harshly but I'm betting he won't be. The teacher, while somewhat doltish, had a reasonable expectation that her personal possessions would remain just that and that her privacy was protected. District is blaming the victim.

Of course, the "lets blame the victim" mentality. Reminds me of people who say women deserve harassment because of the way they were dressed.
Coming from some people, this mindset doesn't surprise me, but from others it's sad and surprising to see.

 

[WebmasterJackie]

This situation is annoying me more than anything like this ever has. Everyone is assuming that the teacher's phone didn't have a password on it, but maybe it did. My phone doesn't 'time out' immediately; it takes like a minute or two of being idle before it does that - can't remember what I put the setting at. Regardless though, if she set her phone down on her desk and had to step out of her class - I'm sure the photos she took of herself and put in an app somewhere on her phone wasn't at the forefront of her mind. Plus, these are high-schoolers; it's not like they aren't capable of minding their manners for a few minutes while a teacher steps out of class. It's not like it was a class full of Kindergarteners. Being the parent of two teenagers myself, I would be LIVID if my kid did what this kid did with a teacher's private property. That kid had NO business touching her phone, let alone doing what he did. Shame on him. Kids that pull this kind of crap need to be taught a lesson in respecting others; especially their elders.

I will say that if it were me who took photos like that for my husband, I would've dumped them off onto my computer so they wouldn't be traveling around with me on my cell phone. That's where I feel the teacher's mistake was. I absolutely do not think it's right that she was forced to resign from her position for this...I find that infuriating!

 

[Wishing on a star]

Sorry, but I also have very little sympathy.
I simply can not muster the sympathy for anyone who would be going around with nude photos like that.
She is a teacher, and she brought that phone to school and did not make sure that it was not available to minor students.

She took the photos, she did not completely secure them, and this is what happens.
Isn' that what all of us parents are warning our teens about?
It could have been anybody, anywhere, who happened to find the opportunity to view and spread photos.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I think there is a "reasonable expectation of privacy" here for sure. However, yea she should have "covered her bases" as stated above (it too me a minute to figure that one out, I am slow)

I never kept a pass code on my phone until, one day I stupidly left mine sitting on my desk. Sure enough, some kid grabbed it and hid it from me. I didn't notice it was gone really until that same kid started asking me about it. Thankfully, there was nothing "interesting" on my phone. Since that day... yea I keep a pass code/thumbprint to get in. You just don't want somebody nosing around your phone.

 

[Goofy_Disney_Dad]

 

[gwynne]

Most everyone carries a

phone on them these days--it happens that phones have multiple uses, thus the pictures in the gallery--it is not like she had prints on her desk.

I guess it is more like if a teacher who smokes had a lighter in their purse and the lighter were taken by a student and used to start a fire.
Again, something which is normal to carry and primarily used for a reasonable purpose being taken by a student and misused.
Except, in this case the "missues" also victimizes the teacher it was stolen from.

But once again, there is a reasonable use for a lighter if she smokes. If she left her purse on the floor in the hallway, certainly she would have more responsibility for the hypothetical fire. But, most teachers put their purses in a drawer or closet, away from students. I can't think of any reasonable use of nude photos in the workplace. That said, if she likes to keep nude photos on her phone, she should have a very secure passcode and certainly keep the phone in a safe place. That doesn't guarantee they won't be seen, but at least it lessens the risk.

 

[kamik86]

Without having read everything here are my thoughts.

1) The student should have disciplinary action for taking the phone. However this is seperate from the teacher and is all I will say on that.

2) For the teacher basically she brought pornographic images to school. I assume there is a policy against this action in place at her school. My high school had one. Even without a separate morality clause (the kind that have been used to fire teachers for what the posted on facebook) I would think this would be enough to force the teacher to resign.

Would you think it was acceptable if a teacher had actual printed photos in her desk? Why is it better being electronic?

 

[IndyRnRfan]

What I find comical is everyone talking about bringing porn into school. I'd bet a million dollars, 90% of high school kids around the world have some form of pornography on their phone at this current time. I don't care what is on their phone as long as it stays there and isn't being shown to others. How many people on this forum have it on their phone as well and you take it to work. I don't know of one job that would allow that at work but I bet some on here do have it on their phone.

 

[cijay]

I think the teacher has paid her 'stupid tax'. For as much as people like to think that their phone is their own business and all pictures on there are private and confidential...exactly what protection do they have for someone not seeing them? Putting a lock on your phone is one way (obviously the teacher didn't do that - stupid tax part 1). Leaving your phone in your purse/car (obviously the teacher didn't do that - stupid tax part 2). Leaving partially nude pictures on your phone at all (obviously that was something the teacher did - stupid tax part 3.

What is 'partially nude' though? I mean, some bathing suits are 'partially nude' (or beyond!).

The 16 year old deserves to have his behind kicked but I'll be surprised if it happens. It's all 'boys will be boys', 'kids will be kids','what did you expect'?

 

[RitaE]

This situation is annoying me more than anything like this ever has. Everyone is assuming that the teacher's phone didn't have a password on it, but maybe it did. My phone doesn't 'time out' immediately; it takes like a minute or two of being idle before it does that - can't remember what I put the setting at. Regardless though, if she set her phone down on her desk and had to step out of her class - I'm sure the photos she took of herself and put in an app somewhere on her phone wasn't at the forefront of her mind. Plus, these are high-schoolers; it's not like they aren't capable of minding their manners for a few minutes while a teacher steps out of class. It's not like it was a class full of Kindergarteners. Being the parent of two teenagers myself, I would be LIVID if my kid did what this kid did with a teacher's private property. That kid had NO business touching her phone, let alone doing what he did. Shame on him. Kids that pull this kind of crap need to be taught a lesson in respecting others; especially their elders.

I will say that if it were me who took photos like that for my husband, I would've dumped them off onto my computer so they wouldn't be traveling around with me on my cell phone. That's where I feel the teacher's mistake was. I absolutely do not think it's right that she was forced to resign from her position for this...I find that infuriating!

I personally wasn't assuming that the phone wasn't protected, I was going by the article which said the phone was unlocked.

There was a bunch of fuss at my son's school this year from the staff because they established a staff locker area and they all have to leave their electronics and personal bags in the lockers and out of the student areas. A big reason for it was to keep staff off of their cell phones during the day which was reportedly becoming a big problem, but I guess this article is another good reason.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

While I totally understand that "victim blaming" is something that is not helpful in general, I do have to agree with Troy Hunt about personal security:

http://www.troyhunt.com/2016/02/suggesting-you-shouldnt-digitise-your.html

But I'm not sure she should be forced to resign. And I also think the child should be prosecuted.

 

[pocomom]

I really object to the the article calling it a "prank" . A prank would have been setting up the teacher's desk in the hallway, not ruining her life.

 

[Wishing on a star]

Yes, RitaE, most schools strictly forbid any access to phones for students...
I have heard, first hand accounts, of teachers who sit in their classrooms on their phones, even playing little electronic games.
Some leave the classroom go to the break room or cafeteria, come back with food, and spend a significant amount of time sitting in the classrooom with students, messing around on their phone and snacking.