OXNARD, Calif. — Stacie Halas, the former adult performer turned teacher who is trying to get her dismissal by the Oxnard School District overturned, completed a second round of testimony today before an administrative panel, during which she insisted that she had not lied to school officials who accused her of dissembling when asked directly whether there was porn online in which she was featured.
"Halas testified that when [Assistant Superintendent Sean] Goldman asked about online porn in March, she did not know if they were on the Internet," reported the Ventura County Star.
"That part of my life was a long time ago," said Halas, whose career reportedly spanned a mere 9 months in 2005-6. "I did not think there was anything on the Internet."
She testified that she did not mean to mislead Goldman with that reply or her insistence that she did not go by the name "Tiffany," which is the name she used while performing.
"She's a character in my scenes," Halas said, referring to the stage name. "It's just like in a movie. Just like 007, he doesn't go by 007 in real life. I don't go by Tiffany."
Though seemingly a relatively insignificant point, the issue of Halas' candor is extremely relevant in light of comments made Wednesday by Superintendent Jeff Chancer, who, according to the Star, " said it was 'possible' to keep an employee who was involved in pornography but not when the employee continually lies." Chancer originally recommended to the school board that Halas be fired.
Under further questioning exploring prior comments she made, Halas said she misspoke two weeks ago during a deposition when she said that students had brought up her adult work with her.
"I was nervous when I was doing this," she said of the deposition. "I've never done this before. I said things that aren't completely accurate in here."
She also said that she could not remember speaking with Haydock Elementary assistant principal Wayne Saddler, who had testified earlier in the week about a conversation he said they had in which she denied working in porn.
"I don't remember any part of the conversation where I denied anything," she said.
The Star also reported that another potentially problematic issue for Halas is whether she actually was teaching while performing. In May of this year, the Smoking Gun posted a behind-the-scenes interview with Halas recorded sometime in 2006 in which she talked about her career as a teacher, and uttered "It's a concern" when asked if she worried that her students would one day find out about her work in adult.
According to the Star, "Halas adamantly denies that it overlaps, but Chaka Okadigbo, an attorney representing the district, disputes that. According to her resume, Halas was employed by the Simi Valley Unified School District starting July 1, 2006. Halas claims her adult film career was in a nine-month period that ended in August 2006."
Despite her politician-like inability to remember certain conversations and her denials that other conversations took place, however, Halas was contrite about her past and adamant that she is qualified to continue teaching.
"I am worth a second chance," she insisted. "I can be better. I just lost myself for those nine months. I lost who I was."
Halas will return for a third day of testimony on Wednesday, reported the Star. The administrative panel has 100 days from the end of the hearing to make a ruling, and both Halas and the school district can appeal that verdict to the Ventura County Superior Court.
