Teacher resigns over nude pictures stolen from her cellphone

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- A high-school teacher said she forgives the teenager who took her cellphone, found a nude picture and shared it on social media, even though she lost her job and was harassed as a result. School authorities still blame the teacher, however, and have yet to discipline any students, pending a police investigation.

Union County School District superintendent David Eubanks, who forced Leigh Anne Arthur to resign or be fired, said Thursday it's her fault for leaving students unattended during a break between classes.

More than 8,000 people disagreed with school officials by Thursday afternoon, signing a petition urging that the teacher get her job back. Nearly 3,000 commented on the case, many accusing school officials of blaming the victim.

Arthur, 33, told police on Feb. 18 while she stepped out of her classroom, a 16-year-old boy took her unlocked smartphone from her desk, opened the photos application and found a nude selfie she had taken for her husband as a Valentine's present.

Then, using his own phone, the boy took a picture of the image and shared it. Soon, multiple students were sharing it on social media, and someone left copies in Arthur's mailbox.

State police have examined this evidence along with the student's cellphone, State Law Enforcement Division spokesman Thom Berry said Thursday.

Arthur told local media it's part of her job to monitor the hallway between classes. But Eubanks said some students said she was in an adjoining room at the time, and that's why her director told her to resign or be fired.