SmackDown: Should a Former Prostitute Be Allowed to Teach in Public School?
Filed under: In The News, Opinions, Sex
The oldest profession is also one of the most controversial. Illustration by Christopher Healy
Being an Ex-Hooker Isn't the Same as Being an Ex-Accountant
by Jessica Samakow"So tell me something unique about you that isn't on your resume," inquires an elementary school principal.
"Oh, I used to be a prostitute," the prospective teacher replies.
"Perfect! You're hired!"
In what bizarre world would this conversation ever take place, you ask? Answer: The Bronx.
Okay, so maybe elementary school art teacher Melissa Petro's interview didn't exactly include the dialogue above. But it may as well have. According to the New York Post, Petro posted an essay this month claiming she also had been a prostitute.
Using her real name and picture, Petro writes, "From October 2006 to January 2007 I accepted money in exchange for sexual services I provided to men I met online in what was then called the "erotic services" section of Craigslist.org" in the Huffington Post.
Petro goes on to explain how her lack of pimp usage somehow made her Craigslist experience safe and convenient. And she claims that her chosen channel of prostitution made her "no more a 'professional' than a person renting a room on the same site" because these people, of course, are not necessarily professional real estate brokers. Somehow, I don't see the correlation. Any way you slice it, a prostitute is a prostitute. I am not quite sure what separates a "professional prostitute" from an "amateur" one.
The self-proclaimed "non-pro" writes in the Huffington Post, "I found the lifestyle physically demanding, emotionally taxing and spiritually bankrupting, and so I made a decision to desist some months after I'd gotten started, exiting the industry just as freely as I'd entered."
Her next move? Becoming an art teacher at an elementary school in the Bronx. While her decision to exit the industry may deserve a pat on the back, I believe that Petro's past should deem her unqualified to be a teacher at an elementary school.
To my knowledge, at the very least, teachers must not have a criminal record if they are to be considered for jobs. So, Petro may have a clear record because she was never formally charged with prostitution. The fact of the matter is, however, that prostitution is illegal. Whether she has run into trouble with the law or not, accepting money for sexual acts is against the law. If Petro had admitted online that she used to rob banks, she likely would not be able to keep her job. We would hope not, at least. Why is this any different?
In today's ever-growing cyber world, published information is impossible to hide. Petro admits that she has not even tried to be cautious about disguising her past on the web. She is aware that her colleagues are "googling" her and that this could be a potential threat to her job. And if your colleagues are "googling you," you better believe that your students are as well.
The students may be young, but they've grown up with Google as their encyclopedia and are undoubtedly curious to find out what their teachers are up to outside of school. In high school, I found a CD that my Spanish teacher's husband, a Jewish cantor, released. Last year, I found a college professor's blog about her adventure to Taiwan. Embarrassing as my Google habit might be, I know that I am not alone.
There is a good chance that Petro's students are too young to even know what a prostitute is. So upon their findings, variations of, "Mommy, what's a prostitute? Can I be one?" probably will follow. It is no wonder that parents are outraged by the exposure of Petro's past and do not want her teaching their kids.
Some might argue that there is a shortage of teachers in less fortunate neighborhoods and that finding them is a difficult task. This may be true, but I hardly think that the "adult services" section on Craigslist is the best place to start looking.
Key Word with Former Prostitute is 'Former'
by Tom Henderson"Go your way," Jesus tells the adulterous woman everyone else wants to stone to death. "Sin no more."
Read John 8:1-11 carefully. Nowhere does Jesus add, "But don't even think of trying to be an art teacher, ya little tramp!"
That's because Christianity is based on forgiveness and redemption. So is our secular justice system. Except in the most extreme cases, we don't execute people or lock them up forever. We hope they reform and go on to become contributing members of society.
That is our fondest wish -- as a society, anyway. As individuals, we are a little too eager to cast the first stone.
More than a few people are itching to chuck a few rocks at Melissa Petro. She is very open about the fact that she was a prostitute for a few months before becoming an art teacher in New York City. She told her story on the Huffington Post, even using her real name and photo.
And I admire her for that.
Mealy-mouthed people who squirm, lie and generally refuse to take personal responsibility by not putting their names and faces to their actions, opinions and pasts disgust me a lot more than sex workers. And it seems, at times, that the mealy-mouthed are inheriting the earth.
The Internet allows people to spout whatever bile they want without putting their names on it. Long have I yearned for someone to come clean about something before being confronted with the incontrovertible evidence.
Some scummy scandal-monger probably would have exposed Petro as a former prostitute eventually. That she would tell the tale herself -- candidly, bluntly and without feeling the need for a melodramatic mea culpa? I find that extremely refreshing.
No, I would not want her standing in front of a classroom and telling my child about the last time some guy paid her $300 for fellatio. Similarly, I would hope his algebra teacher would refrain from telling him how her husband likes to play barnyard in the bedroom.
Parents at PS 70, where Petro teaches, have reacted predictably.
"I don't want nobody that used to do that to be around my kid," one of them tells the New York Post. "People like that should not be allowed to be anywhere near children."
That seems to be the general consensus. "She's not a good role model," another mother tells the newspaper. "I do not want my daughters to find out about this, and I do not want my daughters to be around that kind of person."
Not a good role model? This is a woman who has a masters of fine arts degree in creative nonfiction and is, by all accounts, a respected teacher. She also happens to be a former prostitute. The key word here is "former." She changed her life, and has the courage not to lie about her past.
She is exactly the kind of role model I want for my teenage son.
His peers often refer to sex workers -- and women in general -- as "whores." There are video games where players murder prostitutes, but that's OK because they're not real people. And they're prostitutes. Boys grow up learning to dehumanize prostitutes while also learning that being sexually promiscuous themselves makes them "studs."
I want my son to learn that prostitutes are real people, worthy of respect and capable of growth and change. You don't have to accept what they do as a profession to respect who they are as fellow human beings.
Would I want him to learn these lessons in art class? Not necessarily.
I seriously doubt the subject ever comes up with Petro's students. Very few kids probably read the Huffington Post and, if they do, more power to them. They could probably handle a serious and mature discussion about the situation.
Sadly, the same can't be said of the many of their parents. Many of us still have a lot of growing up to do.
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 9)
9-27-2010 @ 6:03PM
michelle said...So....In what way should her past disqualify her from public education? She is not soliciting sex from adults anymore and does not seem about to do it with children. Now is it a bit unfortunate that she so publicly proclaimed what she used to do...yes. However there are enough terrible teachers out there that she should be judged on her merits as a teacher and not what she once did to make money. She could be a wonderful teacher for all we know, just one with a bit of a sordid past. Now if she had an arrest record that would be grounds for dismissal or not hiring her in the first place, but obviously none was found. There have been enough hard finanicial times going around that I know of more than a few people that had to resort to "jobs" that were only done to survive the next month until they could get a real one.
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9-29-2010 @ 8:07AM
aNDY said...She told all because the book says "the truth shall set you free", plus no one can dig this up and blackmail or harm her later. She did the right thing by being honest, so why punish someone for being honest? Would one rather she be a hypercrit and do like so many people, who deny, deny and deny until faced with proof. Also, "ye without sin, cast the first stone". You do know that teachers sleep with people they work with, and others but they don't tell and lie if ask. Is that what you prefer to teach your child, to lie and cover up ? Get real, leave her alone and be proud she is open and honest enough to answer the hard questions most people would lie and deny !
9-27-2010 @ 9:53PM
kim072072 said...Maybe it's just me, but I have more of a problem that she was dumb enough to publish a story about her prositution, than with the fact that she was one in the past. I agree the past is the past, unless you feel the need to bring it to the present.
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9-29-2010 @ 9:34AM
Mac said...Kim, you hit the nail right on the head. It appears that for some reason she chose to publically divulge something about her past that she knew would be controversial and would cause indignation and anger among the parents of many of her students. Her reason for doing so is the question that troubles me.
9-29-2010 @ 12:01PM
bigguns1957 said...By being up front about it, she will avoid potential scandal. What if she did not disclose the information, invested say... 15 years into her teaching career. Became principal of a choice school and someone who knew disclosed it then? She'd be run out of THAT profession because she tried to hide it. Heck... somebody could STILL make the allegation and potentially ruin her career. No, she is absolutely correct to disclose her past and address it as just that; the past! The only time her students will bring it up in conversation is because of the media or people who can't see it for what it is and sensationalize it. All of us have had an indiscretion in our life, whether "we" choose to talk about it or not. I don't use bible verse's often but... "Let those who are without sin throw out the first stone."
9-29-2010 @ 12:21PM
kim072072 said...I still say there is a difference between disclosure and publishing your story in a newspaper. She had to know what kind of trouble this would cause. If not, then she's dumber than I originally thought.
9-30-2010 @ 1:39AM
Patrice said...Did anyone consider she went public to get just this reaction, She seems starved for attention, and now she has it, and a few appearances on Ophra, the news, reality TV, Oh and maybe a book deal......
9-29-2010 @ 5:51PM
Bob Roper said...A lot of hypocracy here. If she didn't publicly admit to prostitution the press and a large number of readers would condemn here for trying to cover up the fact. It is a no win for her. She did the smart thing by getting it out in the open now rather than waiting. This way she can get all of the condemnations over with and move on with her life. In many areas prostitution is legal, therefore no crime, We are all so quick to condemn prostitution, frequently as a result of a moral standard imposed on us by society. Please answer me 1 question. what is the difference between a person who uses sex for financial gain, and a person who uses sex for political gain or to pressure their spouse (male or female) into doing somthing they do not wish to do. The answer is, Prostitution is only 1 crime. sex for political gain is prostitution and bribery--2 crimes. Sex to pressure the spouse is extortion and a betrayal of the principles of marraige--1 legal crime and 1 moral crime, At least the Prostitute is honest about what he or she is doing. If those guilty of any of these 3 actions were barred from teaching we would have very few teachers.
9-28-2010 @ 1:28PM
RITA said...She should have handled it like the controversial militaty "Don'e ask, don't tell." I taught in the public school system for thirty-five years and have had many fellow teachers who were homosexuals. The parents never had a clue, but most of the middle school students knew Several of these gays were even nominated for "Teacher of the Year." All those years I never heard or saw displayed any attempt to convert any students to homosexuality. And, today this is still a common happening in schools across America. It has been pervert molesters who have done the harm, not people who have chosen a certain lifestyle. The school system in America is always going to have all kinds of teachers from all kinds of questionable backgrounds. My thought is that until they do something detrimental to one of their students...let them stay in the classroom and teach their subject for which they were trained. God knows teaching is a most thankless profession. The only way parents should react or treat a questionable background is be aware of any attempt to persuade or push their children into a questionable lifestyle.
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9-28-2010 @ 1:33PM
Lindsay Weiss said...Jessica & Tom- great post...I tried hard not to bite, but I had to. Enjoy the link love...posted on this (with link to you) at Babycenter this morning.
(I would link to it but your filter won't allow.)
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9-29-2010 @ 6:03AM
Lisa said...The ex-prostitute should be allowed to straighten out her life and better herself. This might be away for her to do it. We want prostitutes to stop what they are doing and do something else so how are they supposed to do that if we don't give them the chance to. So let her teach.
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9-29-2010 @ 7:31AM
yoyohu said...Sure!, until someone finds out that she slept with their husband or boyfriend!!! Jeez just find another profession!!!
9-29-2010 @ 10:28AM
Lori said...She already DID find a new profession. She's a teacher. That's the point of the article. She stopped being a hooker a long time ago.
9-29-2010 @ 11:23AM
Bravo said...Jeff and yoyohu are both idiots. She changed her profession, there is no reason is the world why she should not be allowed to teach. melissa, you have my vote and i would let you teach my kids any day.
9-29-2010 @ 12:45PM
alan said...well put lisa.
9-29-2010 @ 6:31AM
John said...Prostitute's teaching? Well, I have heard of former politicians teaching. I think I'll take the prostitute over the politician any day.
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9-29-2010 @ 9:53AM
lesa said...I agree with you Randy. Why don't people look at the real "whores" in our society like the people responsible for that Enron and Countrywide mess. I think Anthony Mozillo is the biggest whore I've ever seen and would people want him to teach their children? What would he teach them to do?.....rob, cheat, lie?
9-29-2010 @ 11:31AM
Richard Busic said...You mean Bonner High?
Look, she was never charged and never convicted. Have you ever talked on the phone while driving? Gotten a speeding ticket? Did you do things in college you would not want to tell your mother, priest, children or spouse about?
Thinking that this part of her past disqualifies her is a religious based paradigm. Public schools should be free of religion.
At least she is honest. Could you be this honest and pass muster from the religious kooks?
9-29-2010 @ 6:35AM
John said...Why do I think the blogger who wrote this is not in shape and is ugly to the bone.
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9-30-2010 @ 3:13PM
marie said...I don't have a problem with an ex prostitute teaching. I am bothered by the fact that she felt the need to write about it, though. Why? What reason did she have for posting it on the web for all to see? The past should stay in the past.
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