Nude Facebook Photo Forces Maine Coach's Resignation
Don't individuals count the cost when posting potentially compromising photos of themselves on Facebook? Anthony Weiner never dreamed of being brought down low with some teasing, tantalizing shots that not only went public on the 6:00 PM news (some had to be censored) they went viral and were the ridicule of jokemeisters for days. This was free publicity reaping infamy and misfortune. Weiner's once promising political career fizzled like a busted firecracker amidst the pressure cooker whines for his resignation.
Weiner intentionally put up those photos on a dare. It was a knowing, rash, daredevil move, not the proper zeitgeist or savvy for a Washington politician Well, what happens when the finger mis-strikes and a private photo goes public,not the intention of the sender? It depends. If the person is a public servant or one who is in a position of influence around students, it could be devastating. And so it was for the formerly well reputed and decorated Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School football coach, 51-year-old Paul Withee.
According to reports, Withee claimed he didn’t realize that the nude shot, which was meant as a private message to one person, had turned up as a public post. In the time it took for Withee to realize the photo was on a public forum, a parent happened to stroll by the page and recognize the coach in all his glory. The shocked recognition would not allow the parent to forget the display, and it energized him/her to an outraged activism in a complaint call on February 7th. Whether the call inferred censure or summary dismissal is unclear. However, one can imagine that the interpretation though not stated was that Withee's behavior was "morally inappropriate" and lacked circumspection, especially in his influential position with kids.
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