Teacher Judy Buranich's Second Job As Romance Novelist Upsets Parents

When parents discovered that an English teacher at Midd West High School had a second job as a novelist, they weren't impressed.

What's causing criticism is the content of the teacher's writing -- a subject matter that is strictly for adults.

Judy Buranich, an English teacher in Middleburg, Penn., is also a published romance novelist. Local parents say she should choose between her writing and her profession, as her second career detracts from her role as a teacher, AP reports.

Kelly Hornberger, who has a child at the school, told WNEP that she doesn't feel comfortable having her son attend Buranich's class.

"It's unbeliveable... I can't even imagine someone would write such stuff... And I don't want my son sitting in her class thinking, is she looking at him in a certain way..."

Deanna Stepp, mother of a student in the district, thinks that teaching and writing steamy books should be kept separate. She told The Daily Item:

“We are not questioning Mrs. Buranich’s teaching credentials. We are not even questioning her ability as a writer...What we’re questioning is that the two jobs are not compatible with one another.”

Jacki Baker and a group of 20 other supporters, including Buranich's former students, maintain that the English teacher's novels are not relevant to determine her performance. They say there is no indication that she's pushed her opinions in the classroom, and they also say school officials have known about her novels for years. Baker told WNEP:

"She's one of the best teachers in the district in my opinion and she has been writing for 20-something years. I don't see why its an issue now."

A Facebook page in support of Buranich was launched in support. Over 7,000 users have subscribed to the page.

WATCH:

Quick Poll

Should Judy Buranich have to choose between writing and teaching?

Yes! Her subject matter is inappropriate and distracting.

No! It's her business what she does on her own time, for her own dime.

I'm unsure/uncomfortable.

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Comments

[Anita Brady]

12:36 PM on 05/22/2011

It is really sad that this long-time teacher has to support herself with writing books because her "teacher-income" is insufficient.

[lyingtruth]

04:52 PM on 05/05/2011

Fuddy Duddies, probably certified Church going Tea Baggers...!

[Rosy]

11:49 AM on 05/04/2011

Who cares? Is she forcing the kids to read her material in class? No? Then no big deal.

[cdecisneros]

04:58 PM on 05/03/2011

Here is how you solve the problem. Have the parents pay the teacher what she makes writing books and then she can quit writing books.

[GraceNotes]

02:52 PM on 05/02/2011

This school has a teacher who is also a successful, published author, and the parents are complaining? Maybe some of those kids dream of being published themselves. They might want to write in another genre, like science fiction, but this teacher probably would have some good advice about following your dreams, even if you have to do it on your own time.

[BlackJAC]

03:46 PM on 05/04/2011

One of the side benefits of becoming a published author is to get the nice cushy teaching gig.  My major advisor's first book eventually became a Kate Beckinsale movie a couple years ago and he went on to coauthor that Red Sox book with Stephen King.

[cpbreton]

01:10 PM on 05/02/2011

Can America get any sadder? When the ignorant mob wants an English teacher fired because they are an accomplished author what hope is there?

[Pavane]

01:17 AM on 05/03/2011

I think it's one ignorant mom. (And that's probably one too many.)

[CountLeo]

12:46 PM on 05/02/2011

Ridiculously sad.

[Amber Troska]

09:53 AM on 05/02/2011

Guess what? Teachers are not a-sexual robots assigned to teach our pure and unsullied offspring. What a surprise. They have lives outside of their underpaid, overworked jobs and as long as she's not using her novels as textbooks, get over it. Granted, it would have been smarter to use a pen name; I mean, who wouldn't know that if the info ever got out it would be a big deal to so many over-sensitive parents.

[cew314]

10:52 AM on 05/02/2011

I believe she did use a pen name

[Amber Troska]

12:29 PM on 05/02/2011

I need to pay more attention when I'm reading these articles, admittedly. However, I guess she should have used a BETTER pen name, lol. Maybe she secretly wanted people to find out; being published is still an achievement, even when the material published is romance novels.

[PhillyBrent83]

05:00 AM on 05/02/2011

As someone who is somewhat conservative (despite being an atheist), I find it somewhat awkward to post here. But as a former student of Mrs. Buranich and a Middleburg High School (MHS) alum, I feel compelled to note this witch hunt is not an isolated incident: it must be understood in its socioeconomic context. Snyder County, PA is a case study in the effects of combining dire economic straits with hidebound, fundamentalist religious institutions. Despite having only 37,000 people, the county offers other cases illustrating this point:

1) "Gay panic" beating of Michael Auker (2001)
2) Anti-gay bullying suicide of Brandon Bitner (2010)
3) MHS running afoul of "separation of church" by prohibiting after-school activities that interfere with Wednesday evening church services (2005)
4) Avoidance of straightforward teaching of evolution

I want to draw attention to this because I believe with Louis Brandeis that "sunlight is... the best disinfectant." The reason these things happen is the same reason Davy Jones lives ten miles up the road from MHS in Beavertown- the media fear to tread here and ignorance thrives in the dark.

[SF TKF]

10:24 AM on 05/02/2011

Thanks for shedding more light on this!

[Renee Koppelman]

11:37 PM on 05/01/2011

Oh for f*cks sake! who cares! Money is down, I bet she loves writing and teaching and sure she is mature enough not to look at a child in a funny way! Parents are getting involved were they are not needed to be! Good for her to have two jobs and I hope she loves what she's doing. Parents F*ck off and watch what your kids are doing behind your back...leave teachers alone.

[am10]

10:26 PM on 05/01/2011

These parents would have been ticked at my social studies teacher who co-owned a bar, I guess.

[hailthechief]

10:26 PM on 05/01/2011

Maybe, Just maybe we should allow our teachers to decide which kids they want to teach, maybe they can have the choice to decide whether or not to fail a kid because their father hunts dolphins in order to make ashtrays and dradles. It's not like this teacher was reading this aloud to her students, or even mentioned it too them. Bitch and moan America, bitch and moan about the unimportant aspects of life, until something big happens, then you'll be on the fringe with a taco in your hand making an "O" face while getting a reach around from the escaped monkey.

[Bryan Morris]

09:41 PM on 05/01/2011

I'll bet these same parents hand their kids Stephanie Meyers books...

[BlackJAC]

03:47 PM on 05/04/2011

Nah, they hand 'em the Left Behind: The Kids books.

[Teacher Trish]

08:43 PM on 05/01/2011

OMG! She's writing legal books that sell at grocery stores and dime stores! Doesn't she know that she's supposed to be grateful that tax payers even allow her a salary! She should do her job for free without health care or retirement benefits. SHEESH!
sarcasm

[Heather Van]

07:24 PM on 05/01/2011

Simple minds find issues with simple things.