Teacher sacked for posing nude

Kelly Robinson

9 May 2008

A NORTHERN beaches primary school teacher has been sacked for appearing in a sealed nude photo shoot in Cleo magazine with her husband.

Church Point resident Lynne Tziolas was dismissed from her full-time temporary position at Narraweena Public School last Friday.

The Year 1 teacher, who has been at the school for two years, has begun legal action against the NSW Education Department citing unfair dismissal.

She has also gained the support of more than 40 parents so far, who have signed a petition to have her reinstated.
Mrs Tziolas and her husband of four years, Antonios, appear in this month's Cleo magazine in a sealed section with nine other couples.

The feature was based on couples sharing their intimate secrets about bedroom matters, answering questions about each other's favourite body part, their sexual practices and the most risque thing they'd done.

Mrs Tziolas, 24, was handed a letter by the school's principal at a meeting on Friday explaining she wouldn't be needed on Monday morning, despite her contract running until the end of the year.

The letter, signed by peninsula education director Maurice Brunning, said: ``I refer to an article in the magazine Cleo in which your photograph appears accompanied by an article about your personal lifestyle.

``I have concerns that this will seriously impact on your continued employment at Narraweena Public School. I wish to advise that your temporary engagement at Narraweena PS will cease from May 2.''

However, parents from the school believe the popular teacher has been wrongfully dismissed and have rallied around her.

They have started a petition asking for her to be reinstated.

``We believe she was wrongfully dismissed and we should  have been consulted before a decision was made.'' the petition reads.

``Ms Tziolas is a great teacher who is very popular with students, staff and parents''.

Ms Tziolas told The Manly Daily she was shocked at the school's and the Education Department's response to the photo shoot.

``It was very tasteful and I need to make it known that in no way do I ever let my private life affect or influence the content I disseminate in the classroom,'' she said. ``I could understand if I was a high school teacher, but I'm a primary school teacher and this appeared in a women's adult magazine.''

Mrs Tziolas said both she and her husband would not have done anything differently, despite the consequences.
``We're both very proud of what we've done. We're in the 21st century. Yes, teachers have the ability to affect kids in the classroom, but you monitor what you do, what you say and what you wear around them.

``It's a parents' prerogative what a child opens in a magazine. It's just like turning the TV off at eight o'clock."

Mrs Tziolas said she had received notes and emails of support from parents and staff at the school and her students.

``They've been fantastic,'' she said. ``It makes me so sad because I didn't even have a chance to say goodbye to my students.

``I've been in contact with some of the teachers there and they have been sympathetic. The parents have been fantastic.''

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