<p>Very true, but she also could say, “I pose in lingerie and I smile and am gracious to celebrities at parties, and I’m really glad to be going on the trip.”</p>
<p>In which case, back to my response in post no. 7, he could turn the matter over to the general counsel to see if he/she thinks it’s a problem.</p>
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<p>I take it that the lingerie photos are a different kettle of fish from the hostess to celebrity parties?</p>
<p>I remember that Michael Douglas met one of his former wives at just such a party. She was a college student hired to brighten up the party with her good looks and intellectual mindset.</p>
<p>I would suggest that the Professor meet privately with the student and tell her why he Goggled her name, and what he discovered. I would then ask her to consider carefully the possible implications, both to herself, the school, and the non-profit, should someone similarly motivated stumble upon this web page. While it would be helpful to appear sympathetic and non-judgmental, honesty is of the utmost importance.</p>
<p>Handled properly, this doesn’t have to result in scandal for any of the parties involved.</p>
<p>Northstarmom, looks like a two part question. To the question of “will this young woman behave inappropriately on the trip after hours?” , I’d say no. The modelling/hostessing looks to be paid employment, and it is unlikely that she’d be able to find similar employment on the trip. </p>
<p>But I get the feeling that the real question is part two, “will some journalist stumble on what we’ve stumbled on, publish it, and cause a great deal of embarassment for everyone concerned?” The answer there is “quite possibly”. And here the school is stuck in a difficult situation, possibly of their own making. It doesn’t appear that the school has rules about student behavior off-campus. Tell the young woman that she cannot take part in the trip because her behavior isn’t befitting the school’s image…but then, feeling insulted and betrayed, she goes and tells all to the press. Forget the googling, take her along anyway…and then the press goes to town over the contrast between the school’s on-campus policies and the young woman’s off-campus behavior. </p>
<p>In my ideal world, the professor tells the young woman that it’s a bad idea to put pictures of yourself in fancy underwear on the web, because all kinds of people–HR professionals, vindictive ex-boyfriends, your children’s friends–can/will see them. Then professor says that he still fully supports her going on the trip, but that because of the high profile of the trip, he will need to let the school know so that the school’s PR department can be prepared if any journalists ask uncomfortable questions. School gets informed, realizes that they goofed, hence does not take any sort of vindictive action against student. PR department is prepped with all sorts of background on the student’s non-modelling strengths and academic performance, can then turn tables on journalist by suitable spinning.</p>
<p>I think it’s unethical to remove her from the trip unless the other students are also questioned as to whether they are engaged in any private activities that might shed a bad light on the school.</p>
<p>If the prof wanted biographical/background information on a student, he should have requested the information directly. If he is preparing bio info for an official package, why would he use google as a source, rather than the students themselves ? If I were a student (not even a lingerie model) I would be irritated that my bio was comprised of info pulled off the internet, and not from my own submissions.</p>
<p>Maybe the prof was up against a deadline, but it sounds like he is not doing a real great job if he is submitting “official” information culled from the internet. What about checking sources, determining accuracy ? At my children’s HS the internet is not allowed to be used as a research source. This guy is a college prof - he should know better !!</p>
<p>does anyone think that the students the people are going to help want perfection and perfect records from the people helping them? do you think they want to be surrounded by “goodie two shoes” if you get my drift</p>
<p>no, they want real people helping who may had to deal with real issues</p>
<p>no one is perfect, everyone has a history, even the good professor…its how we live our lives and treat others and to dismiss this girl because of a “might” is just sad</p>
<p>I agree that the prof should not be going to the internet for biographical info - this is a little suspect to me - maybe he was fishing around. But, in the spirit of what I assume are the teachings of the institution, I will opt to give him the benefit of the doubt. In turn, he should give the student the benefit of the doubt and forget he ever saw that website.</p>
<p>The prof should talk to the general counsel at the college. </p>
<p>I think folks here are incredibly naive if they think the KIDS in secondary school won’t google the college kids after meeting them. To me, it’s EXTREMELY unlikely that nobody else is going to find the information posted on-line. </p>
<p>So, for me, step two–which the general counsel might do-- would be to contact the organization they will be working with, explain the situation, and ask if it is a problem for the OTHER organization. </p>
<p>If I sent my kid off to a religiously affiliated program and found out the role model had suggestive photos of herself posted on the internet, I would not be thrilled. </p>
<p>Having a “history” is one thing. It “sounds” as if these activities are NOT history for this young woman; they are CURRENT EVENTS. That makes it VERY different.</p>
<p>BTW, I’m not condemning the young woman. I am saying that I don’t think the religiously-affiliated non-profit she will be volunteering with would be thrilled when (I don’t think it’s if) this comes out. Thus, ends the program, IMO–especially now the prof can NOT honestly say he was unaware of these activities.</p>
<p>YOu might think I’m crazy but honestly I see nothing wrong with a girl being a lingerie model. She’s selling underwear, and everyone wears underwear. It’s a long way from porn, IMHO. It sounds as though you stumbled upon the photographer’s portfolio that’s used by agencies to choose models. A respectable model photographer won’t shoot “suggestive” poses. If these are pretty much straight-up shots emphasizing the garment, it’s very much like the “jewelry models” whose neck is shown (to emphasize the jewels). Really look at the pictures: what seems to be the emphasis? If it’s on the fabric merchandise (not her as merchandise) you have simply encountered a legitimate commercial industry. Leaf through any weekend magazine; even Sears shows bra models. </p>
<p>Hostessing a celebrity party means she’s an exceptionally pretty, bright food server. Celebrities are vain people who would prefer to have a room full of pretty people. The agencies farming them out are weeding out anyone wide, ugly, old, etc who could also bring trays of canapes. It’s all entertainment, and these servers are like decorative floral arrangements. It’s not for escort services, unless that agency wants to go immediately out of business or to jail (see Heidi Floss).</p>
<p>On a spectrum of what she could be doing, she’s making a living honestly. Leave her alone. Had I stumbled on the pictures you describe, that’s really “what I would do.”</p>
<p>FYI: The professor was checking the Internet on the student to clarify some info on the resume and other info that the student had submitted. I did things like this when I was recruiting for a Fortune 500 company and when I was a college prof who required students to submit resumes and bios.</p>
<p>As to the question of why not ask the student directly: Instead of playing phone tag or waiting for a follow-up to an e-mail, in many cases it’s easier and sometimes even more accurate (I’ve had students whose resumes misspelled their employers names, etc.) to use the Internet to get or verify some info. </p>
<p>“Maybe the prof was up against a deadline, but it sounds like he is not doing a real great job if he is submitting “official” information culled from the internet. What about checking sources, determining accuracy ? At my children’s HS the internet is not allowed to be used as a research source. This guy is a college prof - he should know better !!”</p>
<p>I’m a former college prof who used to teach journalism including research methods. It would be irresponsible for any school or organization that does research to by-pass the Internet. What high schools, colleges, reseach organizations want is for students to not use the parts of the Internet that are not reliable sources.</p>
<p>For instance, to many college and high school students’ surprise, Wikipedia is not considered a reliable place to get info. However, places like companies websites (that may contain things like their annual reports, board members’ names and bios), the site of the Census Bureau, courthouse records, professional journalis, all are among the many reliable Internet sources that students and professional researchers use.</p>
<p>“does anyone think that the students the people are going to help want perfection and perfect records from the people helping them? do you think they want to be surrounded by “goodie two shoes” if you get my drift”</p>
<p>I don’t think that a decision about the professional and personal background of people chosen to volunteer with teens should be left up to the teens. However, the teens whom I know who have by their own choice been involved in religiously-affiliated programs were probably the kind of people whom you’d describe as “goodie two shoes” and their friends were similar.</p>
<p>I am curious: How many parents posting here who would put their kid in a religiously-affiliated EC would be comfortable if you learned that one of the volunteers with the program had pictures posted online showing themselves modeling lingerie in risque poses?</p>
<p>“no one is perfect, everyone has a history, even the good professor…its how we live our lives and treat others and to dismiss this girl because of a “might” is just sad”</p>
<p>So - if one is selecting volunteers to serve as role models for youths, one shouldn’t consider the volunteers’ characters? And if one is choosing people for an opportunity that would involve leadership, responsibility and representing your organization, one shouldn’t be concerned about the voluntedrs’ judgment?</p>
<p>Remember, we’re not talking about the college’s never recommending the student for a job, internship, grad school, etc.</p>
<p>We’re talking about whether it would be prudent to now have this particular student continue to be among the small group of students selected for an all expense paid volunteer trip to work with students in a religiously-affiliated, conservative, nonprofit program. It’s not a right for the students to be chosen to participate: It’s a privilege, and the selection factors are up to the college.</p>
<p>“YOu might think I’m crazy but honestly I see nothing wrong with a girl being a lingerie model. She’s selling underwear, and everyone wears underwear. It’s a long way from porn, IMHO.”</p>
<p>I’ve now seen the pictures. They aren’t like the underwear models you see in women’s magazines or clothing catalogues designed to get women to buy underwear. This isn’t the “imagine yourself in a Maidenform bra” type of pose. If she were doing that kind of modeling, I would agree with you.</p>
<p>The pictures have the suggestive poses and expressions that you’d see in men’s magazines and are basically softcore porn. They aren’t designed to sell underwear.</p>
<p>WEll I think of the fallout from the American Idol girl that got plastered all over the news for her risque pics, then the Disney star from High school musical etc.
Kids do stupid things, and it does come back to bite them.
Not a religously over the top kind personally, but I would guess those that chose to send their kids to something as this pertains to, I think I would be rather upset if it were known, it may not come out but if it does, how would the programs legal department explain?</p>
<p>another thing, the age of the kids attending the program comes into play also. If the kids attending are young teens, then I think it would bother me more than a 17/18 year old attending, I have been quite shocked at what girls post on the internet pic wise of themselves, age and parenting teens has mellowed me a bit, (As long as it aint my kid mentality now can;t parent other peoples kids)</p>
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<p>Agreed…but it seems like the selection factors have changed. That’s what’s bugging me; it’s as if a firm sent an offer of employment, then did a google search, and then wrote an applicant “whoopsie, we’re taking it back.” </p>
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<p>I honestly don’t know! I think it’d be more a question of judgement, for me, than moral character. Let’s hope I don’t ever have to find out the answer 
We did kinda sorta run into this kind of situation long ago when D1 was in (secular) preschool. Turned out that one of the teachers had posed for something significantly more explicit than what you’re describing. The offending photo got bandied around as a weapon during some nasty political infighting. It didn’t affect our opinion of the woman’s suitability to be a teacher (she was adequate, but nothing special–pretty much the spouse’s considered opinion of the photo, as well, lol).</p>
<p>"Agreed…but it seems like the selection factors have changed. That’s what’s bugging me; it’s as if a firm sent an offer of employment, then did a google search, and then wrote an applicant “whoopsie, we’re taking it back.” </p>
<p>Firms do exactly that. In fact, I have read about firms retracting offers after new hires showed a lack of judgment in their travel costs to their new job. I remember reading in, I think, the WSJ about a person who was fired before they actually started their job. Why? As part of their job, they were entitled to rent a car. They rented a top of the line luxury car, and the company fired them due to their perceived lack of judgment and economy. </p>
<p>Apparently that was just tough nougies for the prospective employee, who had already resigned from their former job, too.</p>
<p>omg the hypcracy astounds</p>
<p>how many people that work with kids are divorced, have a glass of wine, cheat on their taxes, have affairs…as I said, no one is perfect and to expect it is absurd</p>
<p>guess they should ask each person if they ever cheated on their wife, or if they ever were fired </p>
<p>I know its pictures…but who wants to bet some of those very people that make a fuss get those catalogs or magazines</p>
<p>what, you won’t take your toddler to the beach because they might see someone in a bikini? and picture your little boy or girl in a shower room after the pool- naked bodies gallore</p>
<p>this is astonishing really…she is not doing anything obviouslly illegal…and she could be one amazing girl with the kids, but lets shut her out because she might model lingerie…and we aren’t even sure if she did much work</p>
<p>do you think little kids care? no they want someone caring, and nurturing who wants to help out</p>
<p>“If I sent my kid off to a religiously affiliated program and found out the role model had suggestive photos of herself posted on the internet, I would not be thrilled.”</p>
<p>Wearing lingerie isn’t morally corrupt. Allowing someone to take pictures of you clothed in lingerie isn’t morally corrupt. Allowing pictures of you clothed in lingerie to be posted on the Internet isn’t morally corrupt. Given the lack of immorality evident in the woman’s behavior, I don’t understand the fuss. I would be more concerned about those who choose to view the photographs as “soft porn” and read morally corrupt “suggestions” into photographs.</p>
<p>My kids go to a Christian school and attend various religious/conservative events with the school and school parents. It does give me some peace of mind to think most of their judgment/values will be “safe”, and in fact I’m more likely to worry about the influence being TOO conservative than the other way around. I can certainly imagine some parents being outraged ( and I’d be laughing…). I think there may be a spectrum of parents whose kids attend these things. So I’m biased toward the 'ole “apologing after” strategy.</p>
<p>"how many people that work with kids are divorced, have a glass of wine, cheat on their taxes, have affairs…as I said, no one is perfect and to expect it is absurd</p>
<p>do you think little kids care? no they want someone caring, and nurturing who wants to help out"</p>
<p>Huh? We aren’t talking about someone who’d be a nanny for toddlers. We’re talking about a college student who due to their skills and perceived character was selected to be a role model and educator in a career-oriented nonprofit program that a religiously-affiliated nonprofit has for stellar middle and high school students.</p>
<p>The volunteer also needs to be a person who is a good role model, mentor and can operate with good judgment since the professor would be there to work with the kids in the nonprofit, not keep the college students (who are legal adults) from doing thoughtless things in their limited free time in a location that has many opportunities for people who are into partying. </p>
<p>You keep focusing on the lingerie-model student who might lose her opportunity to participate on the all- expense-paid volunteer trip that includes a great deal of responsibility. What about the opportunity that could open up for another student with better judgment and about whom nothing is known that could cause embarasment to the organizations involved?</p>