Sasha Grey Filmmaker To Donate 'Anal Artists' Proceeds To Read Across America, NEA Declines

Talk about dirty money. American schools and educational programs might be drowning from lack of funding, but being deep in the red isn't deterring one group from publicly rejecting money tied to a pornographic film star.

Former adult film star Sasha Grey made education headlines last November when she was a celebrity guest reader at Emerson Elementary School in Compton, Calif. Now Grey's name is back: Although she retired from the porn industry last April, one of Grey's scenes is featured in adult film "Anal Artists," set to debut this week by Assence Films. In support of her "recent efforts to expose children to the world of literature," Assence Films will donate a portion of the film's proceeds to the National Education Association's Read Across America program, according to XBiz Newswire.

But in a statement Monday to The Huffington Post, NEA officials said "no, thanks."

"Sasha Grey is not affiliated with the National Education Association’s Read Across America program nor has she been invited or endorsed by NEA to read at any of the association’s Read Across America Day events, and NEA will not accept any proceeds from her latest, or any of her films," the statement reads. The NEA is the nation's largest teachers' union.

Howard Levine of Exile Distribution, the company charged with releasing "Anal Artists," told HuffPost that the NEA's disapproval of Grey's background is discriminatory.

"Anyone that's supporting reading and helping kids and donating money to their cause should be accepted. I don't understand why they would not accept that -- only the fact she was in adult films," Levine said. "I understand their position -- they don't want to be associated with any adult film stars. I think that everybody has a slanted opinion on what the adult film community is so I know that they're trying to be politically correct."

Assence's decision to donate proceeds in support of Grey was also made without her knowledge, said a source close to the actress.

Grey's November appearance at Emerson Elementary sparked great controversy when she read to first- and third-grade students as a part of the the school's Guest Reading Program. Her participation was also widely characterized as being part of the Read Across America program, including by Grey herself.

But the NEA has asserted that the organization neither knew about nor endorsed the event, clarifying that the Compton Unified School District's Guest Reading Program is not associated with the NEA's Read Across America initiative.

Parents were outraged that the school brought a porn star into classrooms, but district officials said they were unaware of her adult film past -- an outside talent coordinator only listed Grey as an actress who had appeared in the HBO show "Entourage."

Grey stood her ground in response to public outcry, issuing a Twitter statement Nov. 11 saying that "education is a universal right."

"Promoting education is an effort that is close to my heart. Illiteracy contributes to poverty; encouraging children to pick up a book is fundamental," Grey wrote. "I committed to this program with the understanding that people who have their own opinions about what I have done, who I am and what I represent. ... I have a past that some people may not agree with, but it does not define who I am."

In the Tweet, Grey notes that she would continue to support education and partake in education-focused initiatives. She also thanked her fans and Read Across America for supporting her decision, but NEA officials aren't really sure why.

"At no time has NEA sent letters or messages of support (or otherwise) or any other communications to Ms. Grey,” according to an NEA statement Monday.

Joy Resmovits contributed reporting.

Comments

[Christian Howell]

01:38 PM on 05/16/2012

"I understand their position -- they don't want to be associated with any adult film stars. I think that everybody has a slanted opinion on what the adult film community is so I know that they're trying to be politically correct."

The adult film community is people who have sex for a living - sometimes really weird and twisted sex. Would a porn star be offended if someone didn't want to shake their hand?

[MasterKat]

09:49 PM on 02/09/2012

This is ridiculous. She should have been allowed to read to the kids too. Like a bunch of 7 year olds are going to know what a porn star is, let alone that she used to be one. Why is everyone so hung up on consensual sex between adults? Your kids don't even know what sex IS yet, so how could this possibly hurt them.

"Oh no, I don't want my kids to catch her promiscuity!"

Idiots.

[Christian Howell]

01:40 PM on 05/16/2012

Not the point at all. If I walked into my kids' school and saw the raunchiest porn star there reading to my kids, I'd be hard pressed to not slap the teacher, the principal and the porn star.

People who want respect do respectful things.

[Whut442]

05:23 PM on 08/10/2012

So what I'm getting is: "If Sasha Grey read to a bunch of kids, helped build a homeless shelter, saved a bunch of orphans from a burning building, and cured cancer, I'd still slap her because she's a porn star, and how dare she be treated with any decency by the same society that has made her famous and put a lot of money in her pocket for starring in the very same porn movies that we all say we revile (when we're not downloading them on our computers)."

[yakmon]

03:03 PM on 02/08/2012

There is so much vitriol about where the money comes from. Do we do the same thing when it's from some Wall Street rip off artist? Money from those who don't pay taxes because of their vast wealth?

Oh doesn't everyone praise the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation. Without a care of why and how that wealth came about and is protected from taxation, unlike the rest of the 99%...

The schools desperately need money, why are they playing politics? The people doing the whining probably watch porn...

[Karen Oops]

11:50 AM on 02/08/2012

As someone who actually has a close family member in the industry, I can tell you straight up that the NEAis wise to distance themselves. My family member is a toxic narcissist with no sense of what is sexually appropriate around children. He thinks it's "cool" that young kids might see porn. Although there are exceptions, most people in this industry have attachment disorder, aspd, or other serious mental issues. They need treatment, not publicity, and while it's legal for them to do what they do, it's also legal for the NEA to have boundaries. Porn and kids don't mix in any way. Let's all be clear about that

[fmn]

04:13 PM on 02/08/2012

God forbid kids might make the connection between sex and themselves one day in the future.

[Karen Oops]

04:43 PM on 02/08/2012

You think porn is the appropriate way to introduce kids to the concept? Grow up.

[ohya]

09:20 AM on 02/08/2012

If the porn industry wants to be charitable, why not the AIDS Foundation, Say No to Drugs campaign, or education programs promoting safe sex?
But they choose schools and children..... obviously they knew this would create sparks and wanted the media attention.

[ElectroJones]

10:25 AM on 02/08/2012

You're the kind of person who perhaps should have stayed in school themselves, instead of working in the fast food/internet commenting industry. Why should a concerned adult have to be forced to choose ANOTHER way to help the country? Why do you care so much about whether a young woman helps children or stays in the ghetto of adult entertainment and its affiliated concerns?

[Christian Howell]

01:42 PM on 05/16/2012

Have to agree. I'm almost sad to say I've seen a few of her movies and the title in the story is only the tip of the iceberg.

People who want respect do respectful things.

[Steve Barringer]

02:17 AM on 02/08/2012

Come on, give them the money under a different name or through someone else.
I can't blame the NEA for not taking the money and she should have enough common sense to know they wouldn't accept it...she must want publicity.
So, stil, do something great and donate the money anonymously.

[ElectroJones]

10:27 AM on 02/08/2012

That's an excellent point. My only concern is that in the modern age even the youngest kids might be savvy enough to Google that nice Ms. Grey they met at school.

[romigua]

01:07 PM on 02/08/2012

Might be? They are.

[fmn]

04:19 PM on 02/08/2012

And then they might be so scarred from learning adults have sex that they need mental help for the rest of their lives?

[Ronald Halverson]

12:51 AM on 02/08/2012

Maybe she should give the money under her real name, I doubt any of the people at the NEA would know who sent it.
Or perhaps she should give the money to an Org. that deserves it.

[Eserve1]

09:16 PM on 02/07/2012

Then mom, pop and the kids type her name into google. Though the cause is noble, perhaps she should donate under the radar for awhile.

[yakmon]

03:08 PM on 02/08/2012

I didn't realize porn was an illegal activity and an occupation that should be scorned—good thing so few people watch the stuff?

Like the U.S. complaining about drugs coming in from other countries, instead of focusing on healing the addicts that create the demand.

[Eserve1]

06:46 PM on 02/08/2012

Not really what I meant. No, it's (porn) not illegal and I'm not saying that it should be. Nor am I saying that she (Sasha Grey)/they (that film company?) shouldn't be able to donate or use those funds how she/they see fit. I think donating to a reading program for kids is a worthy cause. The questions that I'm asking here is, how do they (the NEA) explain where those funds came from? How do you explain this to the parents and internet savvy kids? Given how ideological we're divided today? The right would tear this apart. And the next thing you know, they'll want to completely defund and shut down the NEA.
Mr. Howard Levine? Seems to understand their (the NEA) reasoning, their reasoning being my point. Is this discriminatory? Yes. But it's the reality that we have to deal with. Let them figure out how to do it in another way or another day. I don't want to see more funds cut out of our education system and the various programs that compliment it.

[MasterKat]

09:56 PM on 02/09/2012

I would fan you if I could, but HP won't let me. Nicely said!

[JohnSawyer]

07:01 PM on 02/07/2012

The NEA is already under attack from the right. It doesn't need to give the right any more ammunition. The porn industry is the kind of funding source that even many centrists in Congress would be alarmed by, which might influence them to vote to defund the NEA.

[deadman449]

05:08 PM on 02/07/2012

I understand why NEA did not take the money, but I believe they should. Porn Industry is still legal and money would have gone to do good.
BTW.. let those who have seen no porn cast the first stone.

[romigua]

01:08 PM on 02/08/2012

Porn and children don't mix.

[AntonMaximitra]

06:39 PM on 02/08/2012

I didn't realize that reading to children would have turned anyone on so much...

[Joetao]

02:10 PM on 02/07/2012

I agree with their stance. Dirty money should only be allowed to go to politicians. What is this world coming to?

[Starbro]

02:10 PM on 02/07/2012

If this were actually a case of a retired adult star donating money then that would be one thing. It's not, though. It's a still-in-business porn agency who is giving money to school kids.

yes, there is a lot of "but (insert corporation here) gives money to kids also and they are corrupt". To me that is different from the porn industry becuase one MIGHT be corrupt but the other is based off of corrupting starlets.

Look at this incident. A starlet is being used without her knowledge (thus consent). Can't you see the microcosm that displays on how this industry functions?

Would you take money for your daughter from such a company?

[Daniel Desormeau]

03:58 PM on 02/07/2012

I'll take money from any source to start/maintain/grow my business. Beggars can't be choosers, and pragmatically, all this white knighting and moral superiority is nauseating. Most of the people here objecting to this have done some objectionable things, they just keep them secret. Newsflash, no one is perfect! For anyone to judge what someone does for a living, especially in this economy, is unthinkable. Just because nobody knows your skeletons doesn't mean you can cast the first stone.

[Starbro]

08:33 AM on 02/08/2012

Daniel:

You are right about everybody having skeletons that are hidden from the public. Nobody is perfect. However, there is a line that is crossed when someone makes a career out of 'skeletons'. Once that is out and on the table then it is fair game for any and all to discern. The NEA sees and understands the porno business and doesn't want their money because they don't want to condone porno. It really is their choice from whom they accept donations.

[Kandinski]

07:11 PM on 02/07/2012

"Look at this incident. A starlet is being used without her knowledge (thus consent)."
Am I missing something? Seems like she pretty much on board with the whole thing.
I'd love to know how much $'s we're talking here and compare it to what the whiners contribute to anything.
Is it corrupt to produce Napalm? How about Nuclear weapons?

[Starbro]

08:45 AM on 02/08/2012

Kandinski:

Check the 7th paragraph into the article. Assence made the donation without any knowledge from the actress. This is my point. The article leads the reader to think it the actress who is making donations which, since she is retired, would be one matter, but for the NEA to accept money from pornographers is a bad idea. It would likewise be a bad idea for them accept donations from napalm manufacturers.

How about if they took money from the PFOX (?) people who claim to be able to cure gayness. The NEA needs to be discerning when it comes to from whom they accept donations. If they accept from pornographers then they might loose funding from another source. It is their choice.

[yukonsam]

01:49 PM on 02/07/2012

So we have a couple of issues being conflated here:

1) Former porn actress reads to school kids: Well good for her! I see absolutely no reason she ought to be excluded from an important cause she cares about. Go, Sasha!

2) NEA declines donation from a porn studio: I get it. That's the kind of red meat that would send the people who already hate the NEA into a frothing frenzy. I also understand the studio being upset -- hey, they want to be good contributing citizens too -- but it's just not politically doable in the current climate. I'll bet there are other organizations working on the same cause that could accept the donation.

[Dede Eagleburger]

01:31 PM on 02/07/2012

This is just so silly!! Do they really think that like people are going to look more badly on the Read Across America program if they take the money???

[mapleaforever]

01:28 PM on 02/07/2012

Last time I checked, there are dirtier businesses than the porn industry.

[Christian Howell]

01:52 PM on 05/16/2012

No wonder we suck at STEM.