21-year-old Gemma Laird was a teaching assistant at Bloemfontein Primary when she was suddenly fired after only one week. According to Gemma not only had she “been doing really well in the job and was getting great feedback,” but the staff at the school had also told her that she “was a natural with the children.”
However, none of this apparently mattered when one salty parent found Gemma’s modeling photos. You see, Gemma moonlights as a lingerie model for Lexi Fashions in her spare time and claims that Bloemfontein Primary was aware of her modeling career when they hired her.
After working for Bloemfontein for just a single week, Gemma was called into the headmistress’ office and told she would no longer be working there. Via Metro:
‘After a week, I got called into the office and Laura Liddell, the headmistress, said, “I don’t want to have this conversation with you but I have to”.
‘She sat me down and said somebody had been on my Facebook page and discovered that I was doing modelling work. They had reported me for it.
‘I was told that they didn’t want to damage the school’s reputation and that people would lose respect for the school if they found out I was a model.
‘Another thing she said was that some of the pupils have low self esteem, and she didn’t want them to search for me on Facebook or Instagram.
No elementary school kid is going to look at Gemma and think “Why don’t I look like that?” By that logic, kiddies shouldn’t be allowed to watch television either for fear of Victoria’s Secret or any other lingerie-oriented commercials. What this screams to me is “The parents are insecure that you’re hot and teaching their kids, so brb while we find someone frumpier pls.”
‘She said she doesn’t want her year six pupils thinking it is acceptable to be a model. She made me feel dirty and like I was a prostitute. It’s ridiculous.’(via)
As a rebuttal to Gemma’s claims, headmistress Liddell countered by saying that “all members of staff are expected to set a good example to pupils”:
‘Members of staff and those on apprenticeship placement in school are expected to adhere to certain standards of behaviour, including in relation to their use of social media, and to set a good example to pupils.
‘It was brought to our attention that images which were not appropriate and which did not comply with our expected standards had been posted on social media by a newly appointed apprentice.
‘Unfortunately we felt that we had no choice but to bring the placement to an end in order to offer the person the chance to seek an alternative placement elsewhere at the earliest opportunity.’(via)
What do you think? Are Gemma’s photos too hot for school, or are these parents bitching without foundation:
[H/T Metro]