Jacqueline Laurent-Auger, now 73, has been teaching theatre at an elite Montreal private French school, College Jean-de-Brebeuf, for 15 years.
Back in the 1960’s and 70’s she had just graduated from theatre school in Montreal and was seeking work in Paris
She ended up in acting in some light erotic films between 1972-1975 such as “Le journal intime d’une nymphomane” (Secret Diary of a Nymphomaniac). She insists the films were erotic, not pornographic, and she performed in the films as a young actress seeking money. She later acted in a number of other films.
However, because of the internet, students found links to some scenes of the erotic scenes.
When the school administration found out in July, they claimed she was a distraction and in her words, “brutally” fired her. She asked if there was anything wrong with her teaching performance and was told there was not.
She told the CBC radio programme, As It Happens, “I did so many wonderful things afterwards. It was a little, little, little part of my career, for Pete’s sake”!
The Globe and Mail news quotes her saying. “This is petty and small-minded,” she said. “We’re in the year 2014, not 1950.”
Since the story became public, Brébeuf released a statement on Sunday saying it was acting in the students’ best interests by ending Ms. Laurent-Auger’s contract, adding the discovery of the films affected the atmosphere in her class.
However public sympathy has been almost universally on the teacher’s side, and ridiculing the elite school for its decision.
Lise Ravary, writing for the popular Journal de Montreal said, the school was more interested in the value of its image than the values of its students”.
Open to discussing re-hiring
Now, in a letter on Tuesday, the school’s human resources director said, the whole thing could have been handled differently, and they were seeking to correct the misstep and is offering to discuss new responsibilities within the school.
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The letter also mentioned that her going public had caused adverse reaction within the school and public, to which she replied that if she hadn’t gone public, they wouldn’t be offering to re-hire her.
She notes she isn’t sure of what exactly the school is now offering her, and will reflect on it, and speak with her lawyer, before responding next week.
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