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Backside Artist to Challenge Firing
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
by MATT REED, Associated Press Writer
RICHMOND, Va. — A high school art teacher has hired the ACLU to challenge his firing after a video of him moonlighting as a "butt-printing artist" was widely circulated among his high school students.
The executive director of the Virginia chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union said a public employee such as former teacher Stephen Murmer has a right to free expression outside the workplace as long as it does not interfere with his job.
Once he became fired, then it became a potential legal issue," said Kent Willis. "First Amendment issues always have a high priority ranking for us.
Murmer can either appeal the school board's firing to a state court or go to federal court on constitutional grounds, Willis said.
Murmer, who taught at Monacan High School, declined to comment when reached by phone Wednesday night.
School spokeswoman Debra Marlow said, "If there is a legal case, we'll prepare for it.
Murmer was suspended in December and then fired Jan. 9 after a video turned up on YouTube.com showing him with a fake nose and glasses, a towel on his head and black thong.
It showed him practicing his private abstract artwork, much of which is produced when he smears his posterior and genitals with paint and presses them against canvas.
The video was widely dispersed among students.
Marlow said after Murmer's firing that students have a right to receive their education in a positive learning environment and that teachers are expected to lead by example, be role models and honor core values.
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
New Developments, 8 News, January 24, 2007
3 comments:
Let's see: the school hires the man to teach art. he's well liked and respected by the students (and evidently does a good job doing what he was hired to do). HE'S AN ARTIST - what a surprise that he has an Artist's creativity, and expresses that creativity in something other than still-lifes and landscapes! Gosh, go figure. His artistic work wasn't an issue until the county decided to make an issue of it. Speaking as a former college professor and as a cop, it is a VERY bad day for the 1st amendment. God save us all from the academic "conservatives"(and I'm being polite...). I hope his artwork takes off in a big way, that his students learn an important lesson about liberty vs. academic CONTROL, and that he finds a job further north or south where he'll be appreciated for the educator and artist that he is.
Good job Chesterfield! Way to lead by example! Prepare for that legal case. If school dollars can't be wasted on battling art teachers that create art then what good are taxes?
Remove all free-thinkers from our schools. A strict "closet-pedophile coaches only" policy needs to be enforced. Our children must be made to feel ashamed of their bodies and learn early that memorizing the Standards of Learning, not creativity, is how successful adults are made.
He"s an artist. What happened to free speech ?And the right to express yourself..What you only get that when you are a rock star,politition,Jesse Jackson,or some other moron...Well butt art isnt my cup of tea... It is creative and hope him good luck...Dano
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