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The GymJox Readers Have Spoken…
Posted In: Rants & Raves
Pending the heated discussion and controversy many of our readers have been debating over the last week regarding bodybuilder Dave Johnson, we have removed all posts featuring references to his past muscle worship video work.
While we stand behind our journalistic integrity, we feel that everyone deserves a second chance…
Perhaps Mr. Johnson participated in those videos because he REALLY needed the money or because he was young and naive at the time… we honestly could care less.
But what is being done to him right now by his former employers is truly despicable!!!!
We’ve received numerous emails about this issue, and one of our readers even suggested that we start a collection to help him with his legal fees as he fights to get his teaching job back.
We are in the process of contacting Dave regarding this idea, and will definitely let y’all know what comes of it… STAY TUNED!
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I love how I’ve been actually checking this website out on a daily basis to make sure they get removed haha. Thanks again guys. Much appreciation for removing the videos. Let me know what Dave says – I would appreciate it. I think it’s a legit idea to help him out with the legal fees but it’s all up to whatever you guys wanna do. He’s a chill guy and he deserves to get his job back even with all of the shit that happened. Good luck Dave and I’m usre we’ll talk again soon bro.
I am glad you did the right thing.
does it make any difference? they are gone, but so is his job.
The Dave Johnson saga has made Gym Jocks interesting reading. But I agree with Jock, removing the videos now is closing the barn door after the cow has escaped.
As for a legal fee collection to get Johnson’s teaching job back, this probably isn’t going to happen. Some professions, probably teaching included, often include morals clauses into any employment contracts. If Johnson’s little fetish video clip is deemed in violation of any such clause, he won’t have a leg to stand on.
Besides, losing a job or being denied a job offer is a pitfall of the electronic age. There are always horror stories of employees being sacked because they criticized their employer or leaked company secrets on a blog, or posted drunken party pics on a Facebook or MySpace page. Again, lacks of judgment. So what happened to Dave Johnson is, overall, just par for the course.
Time for Johnson to suck it up, admit to himself he may have been rash in his video choices, and move on.
Removing the material from gymjox was not needed. When you google Dave johnson bodybuilder you can see all the you tube videos and a few others. His stuff is still out there. As for his employer firing him Well I would like to know what the actual reason for dismissal was and also when he began his employment was he made to sing some sort of agreement.
Thanks to all who supported Dave Johnson. I too am one who enjoys hitting the iron with hopes of competing and appreciates others in their hard work at bodybuilding. Yes, I agree that he made a stupid mistake, but shouldn’t have to live with it for the rest of his life. Loosing this job over that stupid video could kill his future teaching jobs forever. It’s a reminder that we all make mistakes and need to learn from it. If there is anything we can do to help Dave, please keep us informed. If the family has a Save the Teacher Fund, I would certainly want to give to it. Keep us posted. ||=||
As a teacher and ultimate Dave Johnson fan, I find that this is absolutely ridiculous. What someone chooses to do during his or her free time is none of anyone’s business. We’re all free people and if what we choose to do isn’t hurting anyone, it shouldn’t matter. If the administration is concerned about students seeing inappropriate material, they should address that issue with the student’s parents…the people who are supposed to monitor what these children are exposed to. If keeping tabs on what your child is seeing on tv, in a video or over the internet is too difficult…tough!! That’s what being a good parent is all about…that’s their job as a parent. Dave should be able to make money however he wants to without worrying that his student’s parents aren’t doing their job and keeping their kids from seeing it. It’s unfair to expect him to limit his earning power because people aren’t properly keeping track of what their kids are doing and seeing. I feel like his employer is passing judgment and taking action based on their personal feelings of what he chose to do. I’ve never seen the video in question (though I’d LOVE to), but the bottom line is that it’s his business how he chooses to earn his income. I’m willing to bet that the most outspoken protesors aren’t willing to pay his bills, so they should mind their business and let Angel Face (as I like to call Dave) handle his affairs in his own way. I know how attached I get to my students and I imagine he feels that closeness to his students as well. To have that taken away must be really awful. Whatever reason they came up with to terminate his employment, I hope he is able to ultimately have the option of going back to work if that’s what he wants. Dave…if you read this, please know I’m thinking about you and I hope you get what you want.
According to Princess: “… Dave should be able to make money however he wants to without worrying that his student’s parents aren’t doing their job and keeping their kids from seeing it. It’s unfair to expect him to limit his earning power because people aren’t properly keeping track of what their kids are doing and seeing. I feel like his employer is passing judgment and taking action based on their personal feelings of what he chose to do…”
As I read the above sentiments, I was thinkinga: a prostitute turning $200 tricks on the side could make the same rationale. Selling drugs is also a way to avoid “limiting one’s earning power.” Yet society also deems this immoral and illegal.
The argument about limiting Johnson’s or anyone’s “earning power” doesn’t stand up to examination. Granted, teaching is a relatively undervalued profession. Yet no one is holding a gun to Johnson’s head and saying he has to teach or die. He is free to pursue other more lucrative forms of employment.
Yes, parents are ultimately responsible for their children’s behavior. Yet teachers are also stewards of children’s upbringing while these children are in the classroom. As the matter stands, being out of the classroom might be the best thing to happen to Dave Johnson. It’s not likely he would command as much respect as a teacher as he used to before the Internet exposure.
Lastly, YES, in some cases, as an employer who places its staffers in regular intimate contact with perceived vulnerable impressionable members of society, school districts ARE POTENTIALLY LIABLE for what their agents do. School districts have a responsibility to protect their students as the district sees fit, including enforcing moral standards of behavior (i.e., teachers having sex with students, or even teachers on the same faculty committing adultery, teachers using recreational drugs, convicted pedophiles cannot be teachers, etc.).
No matter how the apologists try to rationalize or excuse Johnson’s poor decision, the fact remains he made himself vulnerable. Anybody remember Vanessa Williams? America’s first black Miss America who abdicated because of old Playboy photos she took years ago pre-Miss America suddenly were dredged up? Didn’t stop her from going on to greater things. What’s crucial is, from what I remember, she didn’t (or didn’t have her cronies or fans) making excuses after the fact.
Judgejude- I read your post. Very intersting. In response, I’d like to say a few things:
#1. It’s unfair to equate posing in underwear to tricking yourself out on a streetcorner. Johnson didn’t do anything illegal. Perhaps it wasn’t intended to be seen as a statement where you actually equate the two, but that’s where one’s mind first goes and c’mon, I think we both know they’re not the same. Even just saying that the rationale for both could be the same is just kind of silly. Giving it up for $200- illegal. Posing in underwear- not quite anything that anyone would ever call illegal.
#2. While some employers are POTENTIALLY liable for what the people they hire do, parents are ABSOLUTELY responsible for what their children do. If anything, this is more of a lack of parenting issue than a let’s regulate what people chose to do on their own time issue. I agree that as teachers, we are “stewards of children’s upbringing”…but only to a degree. As you’ve agreed with yourself, the ultimate responsibility lies with the parent(s). We’re their teachers and we should be held to a certain standard when we are at work. Many times, parents expect me to do their job. If I wanted kids, I would’ve had some. Instead, I lease with the option to return at 3 o’clock. I love my students but it shouldn’t be expected that I will limit areas of my life, including as in this case, my potential to earn income, so that their parents don’t have to fulfill their responsibilities. We teach them, but WE ARE NOT THEIR PARENTS!!!!!
#3. I agree that no one put a gun to his head and made him teach, but maybe, like me, he just loves his job. Seems too simple doesn’t it? Just plain ol’ loves his job. It’s possible. There’s a special joy in seeing the lightbulb go on when one of your student’s finally “gets it”. That said, it’s not our responsibility as teachers to be 24/7/365 role models for our students. We do our thing between 7 am and 3 pm. After that, I, for one, am done for the day. If I’m going to be expected to put aside all opportunities to make money outside of teaching that may not meet the high morals of the powers that be in the school administration dept, than we should be talking about giving me a raise.
#4. I guess this one is just a question…who exactly is in charge of what’s acceptable? Everyone has a different set of values and morals and mine aren’t any more important that anyone else’s and vice versa. So many people commented that his teaching contract had to have contained some kind of clause regarding this type of issue. I got curious. I took a look at my teaching contract and it does have some stipulations about proper vs. improper conduct and activity. What I didn’t see was a clause saying that I need to preapprove all extracurricular income opportunities with the “morals and values committee”. I don’t have anyone trying to knock my door down to pay my mortgage or car note, so I don’t expect them to do so when I do what I deem is necessary in order to take care of my business. I guess I just don’t see why anyone thinks it’s their business what anyone else does in order to make money as long as it’s all legal. What he did was certainly not illegal or harmful to anyone, so what the heck is the big deal?
#5. No name-calling. It’s not nice. I don’t know the guy…I just think it’s disgusting and completely unfair what they’re doing to him.
By the way…as a teacher, you get the respect that you demand in the classroom- period. How students feel about you is secondary to how they will behave if you’ve got good classroom management skills. If he gets his job back and demands respect, he’ll get it.
So I’m chillin in LAX waitin for my flight back home and just wanted to say thanks “Princess” for all your support. I know Johnson really appreciates it, no doubt about it.
By the way, if you like Johnson, you might like another friend of mine named Josh Bergeron. I’m more chill with him – he’s pretty legit too and a little closer to my age than Johnson, haha. Check him out if you want and lemme know what you think of him. If you know anything about bodybuilding and being conditioned, depleted, defined, etc.
Anyways, I’m open to other opinions and as i previously stated, I understand where “judgejude” was coming from and the points made. However, I do believe we all deserve a second chance. I’ve given second chances to people as well as the fact that I have been given a second chance. Life isn’t always like that but I’m not a jackass.
I agree 100% with all of your points “Princess” Presented efficiently and effectively and thanks for sharing your opinion, especially since your occupation is being a teacher as well and understand the situation better than any of us. Again, much appreciation babe.
Glad the videos were taken off and I hope for the continued success of Johnson in the future.
the freaky vidoes are on muscleworship dot com, as the weekly feature. i guess the owner of that site won’t be taking them down. i saw the video and there is nothing overtly sexual or gay, it is weird that all he does is wack a stick in threatning some guy. i am not a big fan of that kind of “fantasy”.
but if we just shut his mouth and posed in the bikini, he would still have his job. there is no nudity or arousal, but it is weird. i guess some guys are into muscle guys threatning to beat them up. i thought we got beyond that internalized homeophobia. I am into muscle worship, were the guys wants me to be into him. not where he is disgusted that i am attracted to him.
anyway, to each his own, and dave johnson got his.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Xt6I6Td6Jw0/Sn7rYYhk_nI/AAAAAAAAG18/u2PPHFsoWZ4/s1600-h/0ac15f994792525255dfaa71e2f63e52bbcda82.jpg
Check out this out.
He’s not as cut as he has been, but somewhat bigger.
GO DAVE!
Did Dave get his job back? I am not into bodybuilding. I am a runner. But what got my attention after stumbling on this person, and topic is this – there are far worse “practices” that school administrators close their eyes to. For eg., why are kids subjected to compulsory indoctrination of Al Gore’s Global Warming? If you want to present the issue, present BOTH sides. This is just ONE example. I am not an American and don’t live in the US. But I do have several friends who home school their children for precisely the above reason – indoctrination of their children!
Normal procedure is for an employer to suspend an employee, while determing the facts. Dave Johnson’s sacking seems very unfair as he has not been allowed to put his side of the story and answer questions. The school could face serious damages.