Teacher suspended after writing fiction in which her pupils have fantasies with her

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maxmordon

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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ctional-book-pupils-sexual-fantasies-her.html

She insists it is merely a work of fiction designed to encourage her pupils to read more.

But an English teacher's account of pupils' sex fantasies, flirting and truancy has had a devastating impact in the real world.

Leonora Rustamova has been suspended from her post, along with a colleague, prompting mass demonstrations by pupils and a campaign by parents to have them reinstated.

The story - Stop! Don't Read This! - appeared on a self-publishing website. Although it is claimed to be all invention, it features five genuine teenage pupils at Calder High School in Mytholmroyd, West Yorkshire.
It contains swearwords, has children skipping lessons, refers to a pupil flirting with a teacher and compares two youngsters to 'gorgeous Mr Gay UK finalists'. The story names several teachers, including real headmaster Stephen Ball, and features pupils missing lessons, stealing phones and setting themselves on fire.
One pupil is described as fantasising and flirting with 39-year-old Miss Rustamova, while she says she would do anything for a smile from another. She writes: 'It's getting harder and harder to see them just as kids.'
Later she describes in the novel how the youngsters practise 'orgasmic moans', which sound like 'the soundtrack to teenage gay porn'.
Two characters are described as sunbathing shirtless, 'looking like gorgeous Mr Gay UK finalists in an area of Britain where there is some pretty stiff competition'.

The book ends with the boys becoming heroes after revealing to police a drugs store beneath the school - although it is noted that some cocaine goes missing before officers arrive.
'I suppose the boys had earned a hell of a ritzy summer holiday,' it says.
Stop! Don't Read This! was withdrawn from the website when the teacher, known affectionately as Miss Rusty, was sent home from the school in mid-January.
The other suspended teacher, Steve Cann, is believed to be a union representative.
The suspensions prompted hundreds of pupils to hold mass demonstrations and create internet pressure groups supporting the pair. Several students taught by Miss Rustamova and Mr Cann said their GCSE studies were suffering because of the teachers' absence.
Former pupil Travis Downs, 17, one of those featured in the book, said pupils were now allowed to wear badges supporting the teachers on their coats but not on their school uniforms.
Miss Rustamova, who is also the school's social cohesion coordinator, has a daughter. Her parents, Christopher and Lois Huck, own a sailing club in Huddersfield.
According to 'Friends of Rusty and Steve', a campaign group set up to reinstate the teachers, Mr Cann was suspended for having 'the guts to stand up for Rusty'. It is understood he took over her class after her suspension.
Chris Ratcliffe, a parent of former pupils, said the book was 'a work of fiction, even though some characters are based on real people'.
He added: 'I don't think there's anything there that would concern parents, unless they're Mary Whitehouse types.
'It's no worse than TV shows like Skins, and just as fictional. I mean, drug dealers under Calder High isn't going to happen.'
Another of the named pupils, who has since left for college, said: 'I can understand why parents might not be happy. But of the five main characters all of us and our parents were fine with it. We like it. It helped us take school seriously.'

One thing if is she wrote her own personal erotica with fictional students to herself and an appropiate publisher or website it would be cool. But considering she used minors, real people that are not public people nor allowed this use of themselves, etc. shows she in big trouble, what the hell was she thinking?
 

Momento Mori

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maxmordon:
But considering she used minors, real people that are not public people nor allowed this use of themselves, etc. shows she in big trouble, what the hell was she thinking?

Obviously she wasn't. ;)

If I was Stephen Ball or any of the other real people set out in that book, I'd be looking at getting hold of a copy of that book to see what's being said, and then look on the Law Society's website for my nearest libel lawyer. The fact that one of the parents has said it's "'a work of fiction, even though some characters are based on real people", it suggests that some of those real people can be identified through the context of the book, which is good prime meaty stuff for a libel suit.

MM
 

Rosebutterfly

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As a parent I would be horified had one of my sons been named. As had been said, if it was pure fiction, with made up names, I would not bother. Although had it been known a schoolteacher had been writing erotically about underage persons, it would set alarm bells ringing for me.
 

waylander

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As a parent I would be horified had one of my sons been named. As had been said, if it was pure fiction, with made up names, I would not bother. Although had it been known a schoolteacher had been writing erotically about underage persons, it would set alarm bells ringing for me.

Do we know the persons described were underage?
 

dpaterso

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If true, it sounds like a stupidity from start to finish. A self-publishing website! Tsk.

-Derek
 
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The morality of the writing aside, this is just plain old stupid.

Even if a teacher made up stories about imaginary pupils, though, I'd still feel oogy. It'd make me wonder how they were looking at the real ones in their charge.
 

Wayne K

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I'm as horrified as anyone (okay maybe less because I have no children) but now I want to read the thing. If this is a publicity stunt of some sort I think it will work because for whatever reason people will want more details.

I wouldn't pay money to read it though.
 
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I can't believe what sort of idiot parent would be okay with this.

And I speak as someone without kids, who doesn't want them. But...if someone in authority was writing about sexual fantasies involving my children, even as a joke? You betcha I'd be riled.
 

SPMiller

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I have to withhold judgement. Not enough information. If the school admins want to investigate the possibility of statutory rape, fine, but I'm not sure there's enough to go on. There's a very clear distinction between thinking and doing.
 

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I can't believe what sort of idiot parent would be okay with this.

And I speak as someone without kids, who doesn't want them. But...if someone in authority was writing about sexual fantasies involving my children, even as a joke? You betcha I'd be riled.

You also don't know what's actually written in the story. As a writer, you should know that almost anything taken out of context can be spun in whichever way anyone wants. I say that if the kids and parents don't feel like victims, no one is allowed to try to force them into that role.
 

emilycross

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yes but if they are underaged and she uses their name and its 'erotica' or whatever - isn't it the equivalent of spreading child pornography? except using writing instead of a picture.

apart from that though, nowadays you have to sign a document to allow your kids to have their photos taken in school (for newsletters etc.) i'm sure using a child's name and character is the same thing. This breaks so many laws (legal and moral) i don't know where to start.
 

Clair Dickson

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For me, because she's a teacher writing about *her* students (in class or just in school, I make no distinction) that crosses some serious lines. While many people will fantasize, there have been too many teachers that haven't been able to keep to fantasies. And that line about 'it's getting harder to see them as kids' is a HUGE alarm.

For me, my students are always "kids." I have a hard time thinking of some of my older students-- who are in their thirties-- as not being "kids" even though they're older than me. That's the dividing line-- they are kids. It's been hard hanging out with one of my students, a fifty-something lady from Germany... because to me she's my student. There's this line between us.

A teacher just shouldn't be having sex (or sexual fantasies) about their kids... whatever the age. It's just not a line to be crossed. I'll give her credit for not doing it (that we know of) but self-pubbing it was foolish. Did she think parents were going to be excited to learn about a book, written by their kid's teacher, that includes things teachers shouldn't be doing with the student?
 

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"Those are my characters! I didn't invented them, but they're part of the collective mind!"
 

seun

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If it was in the Mail, it must be 100% true. Was it next to the headline BRING BACK HANGING FOR SINGLE MOTHERS?
 

dgiharris

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Except the parents are okay with it and supporting the teacher. I say, if everyone involved is okay with it, then leave the teacher alone and reinstate her.

I disagree here. If EVERY parent of every student in the entire school district were ok with it, then I would agree with your statement. But there is no way that would be the case. Basically, if a teacher shot a student and the student's parents were ok with that, that still does not absolve the teacher of wrong doing. Hence the entire concept of law and order...

Legal age or underage, she had no right to use them in her book without prior permission.

Bingo. That is the real issue here. Once you use a real name, you cross the line from fiction to reality. You can't use real names. Everyone knows that. In the words of Paris Hilton, "Duh!"

A teacher just shouldn't be having sex (or sexual fantasies) about their kids...

I can understand this statement, but it is not realistic. As human beings we can not be held accountable for our thoughts and you tread dangerous grounds when you use the words "should be thinking..." (see spanish inquisition).

What matters are our actions. That is where we should be held accountable.

THoughts are impossible not to have. Have you ever thought about hurting student? Sure you have. But did you act on it? No. Similarly, out of all the physically attractive students, and us being human, it is only natural that many teachers (and students) will have sexual fantasies. But what matters is that they don't act on them.

When she 'wrote' about her students she crossed the line from thoughts to actions. Had she used fake names this is a non issue. But she didn't so its an issue and rightly so.

stupidity on her part.

Mel...
 
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