from www.abcnews.go.com The chairman of the English department for a prestigious Massachusetts high school has been put on leave after reports surfaced that he moonlighted under the porn name Hytch Cawke.
For parents and administrators at the academically rigorous Mystic Valley Regional Charter School in the town of Malden, it’s hard to believe that Hytch Cawke is allegedly Kevin Hogan, the English department chair and crew team coach.
“We were shocked and surprised,” school spokesperson Marty Gately told ABCNews.com.
The school was made aware of a trio of videos starring Hogan by the Boston Fox affiliate, which included “Fetish World” and “Just Gone Gay 8” and one title that is too rude to mention.
Hogan passed background checks in Massachusetts and California, where he had previously lived, but said nothing about his roles as an adult entertainer, Gately said.
ABCNews.com was unable to reach Hogan, however when confronted by My Fox Boston, the educator said, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
It’s hardly the kind of news the school, which is known for its intense curriculum and top-notch faculty, is used to making. The school has been recognized in U.S. News and World Report and Newsweek magazines as one of the best in the United States.
“When we hire employees for the school, in any capacity, we seek comprehensive information about their past employment activities and fitness for the position,” the school said in a statement. “We do wish to confirm the school’s insistence that any applicant for a position here be candid and forthright about disclosing past employment positions.”
Hogan’s case is only one of several that have underscored the debate about what a teacher does in his or her personal life is anyone’s business.
Earlier this year, a mother of four and former porn star was fired from her Missouri teaching post, and a Florida substitute teacher was let go for his adult entertainment past.
“We expect that all teachers will be held to a very high moral standard. They’re in the classroom everyday and they serve as role models to students,” said JC Considine, spokesperson for the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Considine said his agency was aware of Hogan’s case, but declined to comment on specifics.
Stephanie Saponaro, a mother of a student on Hogan’s crew team, seemed a bit torn.
“The kids really love him. He’s been a great addition to the team,” Saponaro told Fox Boston. “This is scary.”
Shawn Loftis has been in Hogan’s shoes, both in front of the camera and the chalk board.
“He’s not going to get help from anybody,” Loftis said.
The former substitute teacher who has a master’s degree left his gay porn past behind him and became a teacher in Miami-Dade County, including at one school that he said was a block and a half away from a strip joint named Club Madonna.
Despite saying he had had an exemplary record as a teacher, Loftis was fired in March after he said the principal was made aware of his porn past.
“Somebody might do this for extra money because of a bad economy but then it ruins their future,” he said.”I wanted to get rid of my company and go and teach kids and be a positive role model.”
Loftis pointed to a “huge moral basket” schools have, and said they throw anything in there after-the-fact.
“You do a huge background investigation and then you dig up dirt later and fire me?” he said. “You can dig up dirt on just about anyone thanks to Google and Facebook.”
For now, Loftis said he’s wrapping up the sale of his porn production company and plans to meet with the State of Florida to inquire about getting his teaching credentials restored.
But he has a words of warning for Hogan.
“He’s going to have to figure this out all on his own,” he said. “I know from my experience, no one is going to help him.”