A photography teacher at Santa Monica High School has been dismissed after a student took semi-nude photos of a fellow student for a class project. Stephanie Elam reports from Santa Monica.
The troubles for Santa Monica High School's photography class began after a December exhibit displaying the students' first semester work.
There was one photo taken by senior Carina Ramirez of her classmate's back.
"I remember standing in front of it with the mother of the girl who took the photo - both of us admiring it," said Marianne Borgardt, whose daughter is also in the photography class. "I didn't think twice about it being in the show."
The photo followed the guidelines that have been in place for years and is far less suggestive than some advertising campaigns, Borgardt said.
But shortly after the show, photography teacher Allan Barnes was removed from the school without explanation.
The students and parents eventually learned why -- other photos found on the school server were also taken by Ramirez.
"There were photographs taken that Mr. Barnes did not know about that included more nudity," Borgardt said. "I still don't think this was anything sexual in nature. I do think it was artful and also teenagers pushing the limits of what's acceptable or not."
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According to Borgardt, Barnes planned to use the situation as a teachable moment but was never given the chance. Classmates said Ramirez is devastated.
"Carina is one of my best friends and a lot of our friends have stopped talking to her," senior Sofia Bernstein said. "A lot of people blame her for what has happened."
Both Sofia and her mother are frustrated by the lack of communication from the administration. No student has been reprimanded and they never did get updated photography guidelines.
"I didn't receive any notice for a month and a half after Mr. Barnes was removed from the classroom," Borgardt said.
Bernstein is in the process of dropping the class, but she hopes Mr. Barnes will get his job back.
"I would love to actually do photography in that class with a teacher that really was the best teacher I've ever experienced in high school," Sofia said.
Santa Monica Malibu Unified School district did not return requests for comment.
Santa Monica High School principal Laurel Fretz emailed NBC 4's Stephanie Elam.
"I do not comment on personnel issues," Fretz's email read. "No interviews."
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