The case caused an outcry across the pond. Lauren Miranda, a junior high school math teacher in New York, USA, was sacked by her school last Wednesday. The reason for her dismissal? A selfie on which she appears topless in front of a mirror, and which landed in the hands of a student in the school.
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The photo in question had been taken three years earlier, and sent to her boyfriend at the time, a teacher in the same school. The young teacher, age 25, has no idea how the student got it. This did not prevent the administration of her school from making the decision to dismiss her, on the grounds that she set a bad example for the children.
‘These are my breasts, it's my chest, it's my body’
But Lauren Miranda did not stop there. The teacher, who believes that her image and reputation have been tarnished by the case, claims to be the victim of gender discrimination, and is now claiming £2.3 million in compensation, as well as her reinstatement at the school.
‘What's the problem with my photo? These are my breasts, it's my chest, it's my body. (...) Men can show their torsos without being questioned. [...] Mine is no more offensive than that of a man,’ said the young woman at a press conference held on April 3rd. ‘Such a thing would never have happened if it was a male teacher,’ added John Ray, the plaintiff's lawyer. ‘No one has ever commented or had a problem with a man exposing his chest, but when a woman does, she loses her job.’
It remains to be seen whether the teacher will be able to return to her position.
Check the video above and get the full details. What do you think about the case?
