Porn Star Teacher Plans to Fight Dismissal
ABC News' Olivia Katrandjian and Sarah Hoberman report:
A Southern California science teacher who was fired for allegedly working as a porn star under the name Tiffany Six before she was hired will appeal her dismissal.
Stacie Halas, 32, a junior high teacher in the Richard B. Haydock Intermediate School since 2009, was fired Wednesday after a vote by the Oxnard School District trustees.
"We disagree with the decision by the board to dismiss or seek the dismissal of Miss Halas. It is our intention at this time to vigorously contest the charges," attorney Richard Schwab told the Ventura County Star Friday.
"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," Schwab added.
Halas had been put on paid administrative leave in March after fellow teachers used their smart phones to find her film credits on March 2.
The school district sent a letter home to parents. The letter, obtained by ABC News, advised parents that no students were involved in the controversy, but asked them to strictly monitor students so they do not access the sites that the letter says "contain extremely graphic and inappropriate pornographic material."
The letter cautioned parents to make sure their children don't share related links or content on Facebook or other social networking sites.
Rumors of the teacher's acting sideline started as gossip among students, but once these rumors reached administrators, they decided to take action.
"Some students at Richard B. Haydock Intermediate School started a rumor that one of the teachers at the school was involved in pornography," Oxnard School District Superintendent Jeff Chancer told ABC News.
Administrators were unable to find the alleged movies because software within school computers prohibited access to inappropriate sites. After they could not verify the claims, administrators sent a memo assuring the school community this was all just a rumor.
However, teachers at the school searched sites on their smartphones, which could bypass the school's protective firewall, and found X-rated material supposedly featuring their colleague.
"Administrators looked at the videos and they felt that it may be one of their teachers. So they contacted the district and we investigated it," Chancer told ABC News.