Miami-Dade teacher Shawn Loftis fired for porn past

[cumeaternc]

hxxp://www.wtsp.com/news/watercooler/article/208109/58/Florida-teacher-fired-for-porn-past

A Miami-Dade teacher's past life in the adult entertainment industry has gotten him kicked out of the classroom.

The school district's investigation into Shawn Loftis, a substitute teacher assigned to Nautilus Middle, Miami Edison Middle, Fienberg-Fisher K-8 Center and Miami Beach Senior High, began last January.

It was at Nautilus Middle on Miami Beach where Loftis both began and ended his career in teaching.

"One day I get a phone call from Miami Dade County Public Schools telling me not to go into work the next day," Loftis told our sister station CBS4 in Miami, "Because I was found out to be involved in the adult entertainment business."

Loftis said he planned to use his experiences from the porn industry to help keep young people on the right path.

"I was going in every day to the school, I made connections with these students, I enjoyed the time that I had with them," said Loftis.

But that time was cut short after administrators at Nautilus learned about Loftis' past. Under the alias Collin O'Neal, Loftis was a successful adult film star, even shooting movies on location in Miami Beach. After three to four years of success, Loftis went from in front of the camera to behind it and ran his own adult film company.

But then Loftis decided to change careers and get out of the business altogether. Loftis said he wanted to sell his company and use his Master's Degree to teach. He qualified to be a substitute, taught for about a year until one day the past caught up to his present.

Loftis said he can understand how some parents and administrators would judge him from his past, but he doesn't think it's right.

"I totally see it from the parents' perspective… but why can't I have that separate life?"

Parents seem to be split on the controversy.

"I am not sure how I feel about him teaching my children, honestly," said one parent.

Another was a little more sympathetic.

"This is Miami Beach. If that were a bar for every occupation, there would be a lot of people out of work in this city," said the parent, who was not identified.

Loftis said he was terminated because it was determined that he broke a School Board rule which states:

"They are expected to conduct themselves both in their employment and in the community in a manner that will reflect credit upon themselves and the school system."

In addition to being fired, Loftis' teaching certificate is also in jeopardy. He said he may no longer be able to teach the lessons he wishes someone would have taught him years ago.

"I also want people to think before they dabble in that industry what they want to with their future," said Loftis.

As for his future, Loftis is considering a couple of options. He may go back to the adult film industry. He may also find others fired under the "values and morals" clause and work to change the way things happen in the future.

Oddly enough, this is a rare occasion they didn't promote the fact that this was a GAY porn star!

[raphjd]

HMMM, someone was being naughty by looking at gay porn to "catch" him.

[pacifico]

Nice teacher  :cheers:

When I was at school I had only old men (60/70 yo)  :blownose:

I really hope the teacher goes back to school, if he is a good one: he should get rid of hipocrisy and stupid people!

[cumeaternc]

The dirty little secret is that parents have no idea what the "good" teachers did while they were in college.  Just because it's not on video or posted on the web doesn't mean it didn't happen.

I can't tell you how many stories I have read about college girls working at a strip club to pay the tuition. What a double standard.