Pornography or Art? Who decides?
Tamara Hoover, an art teacher at Austin High School won’t be nominated Teacher of the year any time soon.
In fact she’s in danger of having her teaching license revoked, for appearing nude in more than 100 photos that were posted on Flickr.com by her partner- photographer Celesta Danger.
Ms. Hoover isn’t apologizing for those photos either, as she says that they are art.
According to Celesta Danger’s MySpace page, because of all the unwanted media attention she is now having her images downloaded and used without her written permission in a crude manner. People are also creating fake profiles with the images.
Ms. Hoover is now accepting donations to help with funding the gathering of evidence to defend herself against the Austin Independent School District.
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11 responses so far ↓
Wrote: Jun 20, 2006 at 8:24 pm
Good for her for standing her ground! I think losing her teacher’s position over something she did on her own, with no bad intent, is ludicrious! Just because she did something the school system deems “unacceptable” doesn’t mean she’s a bad teacher or person!
Wrote: Jun 20, 2006 at 11:20 pm
I think that since it is considered art she should totally be standing her ground. However, professionals so need to get that the Internet is not an open playground and being anonymous is not all bad!
Wrote: Jun 21, 2006 at 5:26 pm
See more pictures of her here:
The link from this comment has been removed due to your displaying them without the written permission of the photographer.
Wrote: Jun 21, 2006 at 6:15 pm
Phil, the page is private; therefore you’re out of luck. I did view the photos and I see them as art.
Wrote: Jun 23, 2006 at 12:00 am
Since the photos are not available for scrutiny, I guess we’ll have to assume them to be pornographic. If it was art, there would be nothing to hide.
Wrote: Jun 23, 2006 at 12:29 am
You can assume them to be whatever you want. I for one viewed the photos and did not view them to be pornographic. It is from my understanding that the photographer set them to private on account of her images being downloaded and used without her written permission in a crude manner. As I stated, People were also creating fake profiles with the images. What would you have done? It is all comes down to how art is perceived.
Wrote: Jun 23, 2006 at 1:05 am
Rio de Janeiro, June/23/06
I live in Brazil and keep knowing of the case of the Miss Tamara Hoover by the press. I did not look the photos, but I regret that the direction of school has adopted a so rigid posture against the art teacher for she solve be the art. I do not see in that that it can affect and to blacken the name of a school for adults. I believe that the dismissal was a doubly hypocritical attitude, because I understand that the direction of school solved show that it is hard and acts fast, for, finally, profit by the fact in order to obtain for himself the free publicity with the global repercussion, which I believe have gotten. It is lamentable and shameful for the American people, which so much announces that fight, defends and it preserves the human rights, which the name of the miss Tamara Hoover has been blackened of irresponsible and inconsequent form to when causing a moral your damage image and reputation. I hope that the direction of this school pays very expensive by the mental pain that caused and by the consequence of this attitude, in case the teacher has difficulty obtaining other job
Wrote: Jun 23, 2006 at 9:25 am
American conservatives, and they are a bad bunch her in Texas, are afraid of the female body. They think it is disgusting and dirty. I have never understood it, but it is the same fear that led to hundreds of thousands of women being tortured, burned or drowned by the Inquisition of the Catholic Church, the hanging of women in Massachussets, and attrocities committed by many other conservative religious sects around the world.
Fortunately, I had the opportunity to live in Germany for a few years and Europeans in general seem to have gotten over their hang-ups. I cannot wait until Americans grow-up.
Wrote: Jun 24, 2006 at 6:31 am
Let’s fire all adminstrators who smoke or drink, after all, tobacco and alcohol are responsible for the deaths of over 100,000 people each year. How about adminstrators who are caught speeding, eating junk food, or aren’t environmentally friend, or who practice double standards?
Wrote: Jun 28, 2006 at 7:05 pm
what’s all the fuss!!,so she was topless. men are topless all the time,and yet no one says a word.women go topless and it’s acted as a crime. women should use this argument. i say leave her alone,she did nothing wrong!!.thanks.
Wrote: Feb 27, 2007 at 7:48 pm
People judging over people who does photoart, should think about the paintings they see in old churches.
Personally I’m convinced those people are very transparent. They got only one thought in their head as soon as they see the human body as created by God: SEX – SEX – SEX. Distgusting. And even mote distgusting when reading about a Texas senator (?) who want a law prohibiting all kind of nakedness (even at your private premesis). Wonder if such people ever take a shower (They might wear en eye-mask). brrr.
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