# Teacher Under Fire For Writing: Local Parents Upset



## FLCarrington (May 8, 2011)

This isn't about fantasy, however, it DOES pertain to a writer's right to be free from moral policing as revenge when no one has been hurt. Carrington Corner asks if writers should only write about only certain topics.


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## Black Dragon (May 8, 2011)

Hmmm...  exactly how erotic are these "erotic romance" novels?  If they are super explicit, there may be an issue with "community standards," which are sometimes stipulated in a contract.  

I'm an educator myself, albeit at the college level.  It's written in my contract that I can be terminated for "egregious moral conduct."  That's not uncommon.

As a writer, I know the risks involved.  If I were to choose to write a very explicit erotic novel (which I don't care for), I could be jeopardizing my main livelihood.  Therefore, I stick to writing violent fantasy novels.  A few orc beheadings never got anyone fired.


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## Neunzehn (May 9, 2011)

There's nothing wrong with firing someone for immorality as long as you made it clear in the contract to begin with so that the person understands the standards fully.


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## JBryden88 (May 9, 2011)

The fact is, she's writing under a pen name. That's a sign of "leave me alone" IMO. Which means, they likely found out through underhanded means, and are trying to ruin this person's life because they think they know what morality is.


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## Neunzehn (May 9, 2011)

The morality should have been outlined to her (Eg: No extensive involvement with sexually explicit media). We don't know if it was or not. It does not matter how they found out. The only difference is that now they would also be guilty of something.

Like I said before, it depends on weather she agreed to live up to a standard when she took the job, not if we have a general right tell people what to write. (which I hope most of us agree, that in most cases, we don't).


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## Behelit (May 9, 2011)

She shouldn't be reprimanded IF she wrote under a pen name and IF her novels are not in any way involved with her curriculum. It sounds like she's taken efforts to keep her writing personal and anonymous using a pen name. How many people knew about her writing before these "moral police" dug it up?

Now I understand certain professions require you be professional in the public spotlight as well, but does her particular standard go so far as to include this? And are we talking about her content is on the edge of the law(extreme fetish)? Or is it romance or erotica? Last I checked romance books have no age discretion. Erotica, in the US, requires you be at least 18 yrs or older.

Isn't it interesting how it is, in media, that violence tends to be more acceptable than sexuality? On one hand we have delivering pain and the other we have sharing pleasure, arguably depending what you're into I guess.


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## Abomination (May 10, 2011)

Behelit said:


> Isn't it interesting how it is, in media, that violence tends to be more acceptable than sexuality? On one hand we have delivering pain and the other we have sharing pleasure, arguably depending what you're into I guess.


 
Yeah, I was just thinking that.  You see it with movie ratings too--sex (and even just nudity) gets a worse rating than graphic violence.  

Shows you where our values are...

I can't read the article, but this sounds bad.  Especially if she used a pen name, was private about her identity, and didn't push her books in class.  Sure her contract might have some prohibitions against this type of thing, and in that case, legally the school would be in the right.  But if they're wasting their time going after people who write under pen names and keep their private life private then maybe the contract should be changed.  (Because, you know, school boards don't have anything better to do...)

It would have to be the last job on earth for me to sign a contract with a morality clause in it.


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## Black Dragon (May 10, 2011)

One thing that we don't know is how explicit these books really are.  Are they Letters to Penthouse type porn, or are they good old fashioned bodice rippers with Fabio on the cover?

Since I became a father, my perspective on things has changed somewhat.  If her novels are of the Penthouse variety, I wouldn't particularly care for this person having an influence on my little girl.  However, I strongly suspect that they are bodice rippers.  IF that's the case, I don't see what the problem is.

Is anyone here familiar with her novels?


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## Neunzehn (May 10, 2011)

Teacher Judy Buranich's Second Job As Romance Novelist Upsets Parents

This article (though I doubt that it's objective either) describes her books as romance novels. The covers seem more "racy" than the one's I'd see at the local supermarket so I suppose they might be pornographic (though I've never read romance, so I have no idea personally).

As far the violence vs. Erotica goes I'd say your right in that it shouldn't be taken so lightly. If a teacher (who knew what was expected of him/her) was writing novels that were graphicaly violent, then they should be treated much the same.


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