Sasha Grey, Porn Star, Reads To Elementary School, Parents Outraged

UPDATE: In a victory for education, Grey has released a statement asserting her dedication to continuing her academic endeavors.

"I committed to this program with the understanding that people would have their own opinions about what I have done, who I am and what I represent," she says (via TMZ). "I am an actor. I am an artist. I am a daughter. I am a sister. I am a partner. I have a past that some people may not agree with, but it does not define who I am... I believe in the future of our children, and I will remain an active supporter and participant in education-focused initiatives."
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PREVIOUSLY: How would you feel if an adult film star read to your seven year old child? Believe it or not, some parents in California are pretty angry that it happened in their kids' classroom.

Porn legend Sasha Grey was a guest reader at Emerson Elementary School in Compton, California earlier this month, joining first and third grade students in their Read Across America day. Grey certainly enjoyed the experience, tweeting, "Spent the am with Read Across America Compton, reading to the sweetest 1st & 3rd grade students @ Emerson Elementary!"

The problem, TMZ reports, is that parents aren't happy -- and that school officials, instead of addressing the issue, are claiming it never happened. Of course, it'd be silly for Grey to tweet about it if it hadn't happened, and more importantly, TMZ has a photo of the event (as they always seem to do).

To be fair to Grey, she is a recently retired porn star, having recently called it quits. She is now a published author, actress in more mainstream flicks (with a part in the Thomas Jane, Rob Lowe and Jeremy Piven film, "I Melt With You"), Peta activist and fan of Occupy Wall Street.

For more on the pressing story as it develops, click over to TMZ.

Comments

[Rafa Lizi Dos Anjos]

07:08 AM on 11/23/2011

vocês norte americanos não podem ser tão inocentes, é obvio que isso é uma auto promoção, patrocinada por algum jornalista que esta ganhando algum dinheiro por fora. Aqui no Brasil isso é chamado de "looby" geralmente é criado por pessoas que nunca aparecem na mídia e esta precisando de algum contrato publicitário. Resumindo...pilantra!

[Lisa Camarillo]

09:48 PM on 11/22/2011

What did she read?

[Sugarballs]

11:30 AM on 11/22/2011

A bunch of moms are pissed cuz they caught a bunch of dads on their computers watching Sasha get gang banged after she spoke at their kids school.

[Sugarballs]

11:25 AM on 11/22/2011

"she is a recently retired porn star, having recently called it quits."

Wow.

Who knows, maybe she'll help spearhead a new generation of journalists that have a better grasp of English grammar?

[quixotic84]

02:11 PM on 12/02/2011

Zing!

[CJeffreyS]

10:25 AM on 11/21/2011

I never heard of Sasha Grey before reading this. If she is reading to a group of elementary school kids, what is the harm in doing so, unless she is appearing naked (THAT would get their attention) and offering to perform sex acts following the reading. Her resume, post-porn, appears to be a non-volatile one: i.e. Peta activist, actress, etc. Does she have a child in the school system, or is she just doing this as a "volunteer reader"? For Christ's sake, I hope that if she has a child there is no effort to identify and embarrass him/her.

[kinogod]

11:53 AM on 11/20/2011

See Dick run. Jane likes to run with Dick. (what's the problem?)

[CJeffreyS]

10:15 AM on 11/21/2011

Sounds like the old Pinkard and Bowden song, "The Ballad of Dick and Jane" (e.g. "she's got Dick in the palm of her hand...she likes to hold Dick, she likes to squeeze Dick" etc.).

[gwyyyyn]

01:03 AM on 11/19/2011

*regardless of the organizers personal thoughts on her lifestyle, no good parent want a their kid to become a porn star, or really associate with one...just my opinion :)

[gwyyyyn]

01:00 AM on 11/19/2011

By allowing her to be a part of the event, (using her stage name) you are condoning what she does for a living, and putting her forth as an inspiration to the kids, someone for them to look up to. The kids might have been told that she was an actress, and then coming home they might be interested and google her, and since she is using her porn name it will be too easy for them to see x rated material. Being a porn star is not something any (good) parent wants their children to be, so why would they be happy with one as an example to their children?

[wrwjr57]

07:28 AM on 11/18/2011

The parents are just mad because they can't read themselves.

[juliebird]

08:24 AM on 11/17/2011

Unless she's reading a transcript from one of her films, I can not begin to see the problem with this. (Do parents thing the tots will recognize her?)
Here's a young woman who is making lots and lots of positive choices for herself, and for her community. I don't see anything her to not *celebrate.*

[bryflayz]

04:48 AM on 11/17/2011

I remember George Bush reading to children. And today 8 year olds can turn on the tv and see just what he achieved in Iraq. How many Iraqis died?

[Phil Divver]

03:06 PM on 11/17/2011

Iraqis??? What about our own youth who lost their lives and were wounded chasing down our enemies? I can pretty much assess which side you are on.

[Sean777]

04:41 AM on 11/17/2011

for the “Read Across America day” event, she should use her real name ‘Marina Ann Hantzis’ otherwise it seems like a publicity stunt.
Claiming that she is no longer a porn star (“I have a past…but it does not define who I am”); why she still using her stage name Sasha Grey?

[stanleycorp1]

07:39 AM on 11/17/2011

SO TRUE!!!! I would never have known this, nor would I have searched the internet after this to find her dirty little movies... no comments on that
It's this news feed, and her stage name that does seem to be a marketing trick - smart too... hmmm no comment....
And if she is really determined to read to kids, will she be going on tour to every local PTA meeting...
hmmm no comment on that either

[Rafa Lizi Dos Anjos]

07:12 AM on 11/23/2011

é uma forma de explorar a imagem dela, que até então não existia.

[LunaSea97]

04:39 AM on 11/17/2011

Did anyone ever address the issue of HOW the parents found out?? I feel so nosy but I HAVE to know because it's this huge gaping hole in the story. As far as I know she tweeted about it...but from what I know of Twitter you have to be following the person to read what they wrote. So did some other porn star get miffed that Sasha Grey is branching out and this all kind of snowballed or what exactly happened?? HOW DID PEOPLE KNOW SHE WAS A PORN STAR!?!? Seriously. lol Is this story explained further?

[lemurtide]

12:53 AM on 11/17/2011

I have a big problem with this. At my kid's school there are readings by outsiders-- focusing on ethnic origins, or focusing on professions--firefighters, veterinarians, farmers... But it's unclear to me what educational extra this random woman offers. To the contrary, as a feminist, this is not the role model I want for my five-year-old daughter. I have enough trouble keeping her away from the heavily made-up dolls; exploitative images of women and age-inappropriate clothing; now they're going to have a woman who sells her vagina and anus to a highly exploitative, misogynistic industry reading her stories? Seriously? I get that we're all super liberal and not allowed to have a problem with anything, but I do and as a parent would raise all manner of hue and cry. Sorry. (Not sorry.)

[quixotic84]

02:25 PM on 12/02/2011

As a feminist, she has the right to choose what she wants to do with her own body so get off your fake-feminist high horse. Did you even know she makes movies with a feminist porography company. Tristan Taormino is a director she's done a lot of work under who lets the women choose their scenes and doesn't let fake orgasms in on her movies and who understands safe, sane, and consensual sex practices! Sasha doesn't perform in those awful misogynist film where women fake it and don't get to choose what they're gonna do/who they're gonna sleep with. Do some research before you open your mouth. You are a shame to feminists everywhere - HER BODY, HER CHOICE!

[pongplayed]

08:55 PM on 12/02/2011

Well said Lemurtide... And she does a lot more that sell it. She gives it away to the masses. What is feminism anyway?. ;)

[pongplayed]

04:53 PM on 11/16/2011

The problem is that you can still see her performing online . Most 8 year olds have the intelligence to "google" something by themselves these days, so the right thing would be to get rid of all these videos first and then let her read to the kids. However, the media has already exposed her so the issues and conflict have already begun. In my opinion I think she is simply trying to boost her porn career.

[quixotic84]

02:26 PM on 12/02/2011

What 8 year old Google's a guest reader? They're not all baby Bill Gates'.