Posted on 12/13/2006 7:53:16 AM PST by 3AngelaD
RICHMOND -- Stephen Murmer is known to his students as a popular art teacher who is always quick to crack a joke. But another side to Mr. Murmer has agitated school officials and resulted in his suspension. A side that focuses, almost entirely, on his backside. Outside of class and under an alter ego, the self-proclaimed "butt-printing artist" creates floral and abstract art by plastering his posterior with paint and pressing it against canvas. His creations sell for up to $900. This has not gone over well with Chesterfield County school officials, who placed Mr. Murmer on administrative leave Friday from his job at Monacan High School. Mr. Murmer contacted the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Virginia after he was suspended, ACLU legal director Rebecca Glenberg said. He told Miss Glenberg that he was suspended with pay for five days because of his outside work, and that he could face unpaid suspension pending an investigation...Chesterfield County schools spokeswoman Debra Marlow confirmed that a Monacan art teacher had been placed on administrative leave, but declined to provide additional details because it is a personnel issue. Mr. Murmer went to great lengths to keep his work life separate from his activities as an artist, ACLU executive director Kent Willis said. As an artist, he goes by the name "Stan Murmur" and appears in disguise in photographs and videos promoting his art. "As a public employee, he has constitutional rights.. Mr. Murmer expressed concern about remaining incognito during a 2003 appearance on the now-canceled cable-television talk show, "Unscrewed With Martin Sargent." In a clip from the show, available on YouTube.com, Mr. Murmer dons a fake nose and glasses, a towel on his head, a black thong -- and nothing else...
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
Ping!
It was not clear why administrators decided to take action now.
Because the adults are in charge, thats why.
$900????
Suspended with pay??????
Someone get me some paint!!
What an ass!
Brings a whole new meaning to the bar pick-up line "You want to come to my place and see my prints?".
Yea .....don't you just hate those rich assh ***s ?
As long as his art is not considered obscene and he is not doing such with kids, what’s the beef? I think the suspension is a crock!
Wait till teachers start getting suspended for shooting guns on weekends. Which side of the fence will you be hollering on then?
As long as they're not shooting each other in the rear and taking pictures of it, for which they charge $900 a print, I don't have any problem with teachers shooting guns on weekends.
I hate to think how many times I've plastered my posterior with paint and pressed it against a canvas and not gotten a dime for my efforts. I guess I just don't have his artistic talent.
As I understand it, the school officials knew about this some time back. But recently he's demonstrated his "art" methods and has shown up in film on YouTube.
Plus if you take a look at his "art" you'll see that his butt cheeks aren't the only body part he paints with.
I'm inclined to think that if he was in a university setting, this would be less of an issue. But he teaches high school kids that are 13-18 years of age. That's why I think it's a problem.
This happens to be my son's school.
It's for the kids you know. Guns are bad. Do you want teachers who are gun owners in control of kids. SHOCKING!
Hey, after we get rid of the gun nutters, lets go after smokers who are teachers! Hmmm.…some people find drinking is bad - drinking is next. How about dancing? Wanna take this to its logical conclusion?
IMHO, if this guy can press his ass to canvas and get 900$/print? More power to him. However, if he did this in front of the kids or had the kids do such? Nail him to a wall.
Welcome to a furthering of our nanny state.
The YouTube is a clip from a TV show. I would bet if the authorities had not been so anal (pun intended) I suspect this would not even have been a blip on the radar. He also took gret pains to keep the two jobs separated.
But like you said, it is your school. Possibly there are facts not listed in the above article.
You forgot to mention people who wear too much perfume.
LOL! :-)
what is this world coming to? when you cant paint with your ass, the terrorists have won
Fire his ass.
In guess instead of
ROTFLMAO
It will be ROT floor, printing my AO
SO many questions.
$900 a print, WHO would pay for that?
How does he ink the 'printer'?
He does he clean it up?
Uugggghhhh - too many bad things here, must go away and read Pookies Toons.
"Who would pay for that?" I don't even want to go there. But it would make a nice addition to some perve's Mapplethorpe collection.
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