Samantha Barguss was banned from teaching for at least five years after her work as a high-end escort and activity on a swingers site was revealed in an anonymous letter
Sex workers have lifted the lid on the hidden world of teachers working as escorts months after a primary school teacher got banned for posting nude images and videos online. Samantha Barguss was barred from the profession after leading a “double life” that a misconduct panel deemed was “inappropriate”.
The 31-year-old won’t be permitted to teach pupils for a minimum of five years after a misconduct panel concluded that her risque career as an escort could send the wrong message. She had joined Hall Green Infant School in Birmingham in September 2019, and was exposed in an anonymous letter in 2022.
Barguss handed in her resignation after it was discovered she “operated openly” as a £1,600-a-night escort and would post photographs showing her face on a “swingers site”. Having initially denied the claims, she went on the confess to a number of allegations less than 24 hours later.
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She also admitted to posting inappropriate photos and videos of herself on the internet having sex over a period of three years. The teacher explained that she thought the site would be a, “safe and discreet website to keep her private and work life apart.”
Surprisingly, this isn’t as uncommon as some might think, according to model Nova Jewels. The Scottish cam girl confessed that she has numerous clients who purchase X-rated services and hold prominent positions, such as teachers.
She explained it’s quite typical to encounter people in the industry – both providing and purchasing services – who maintain double lives similar to Barguss’ and notes that “the sex world is a lot bigger than what people think.”
Nevertheless, despite Nova herself being in the industry, she supports Barguss’ dismissal. She told the Daily Star: “If you have a profession, especially one including working in a school then no, you shouldn’t be posting those kind of images online to be honest and escorting is just a whole different ball game.
“However, I do know people personally who live extreme double lives like this, the difference is that they aren’t careless about it. They are extremely private and cautious about keeping everything completely confidential. It’s inevitable that you are putting your career at risk by posting explicit images online like what Barguss has done.”
The cam girl said that people in high-pressure professions – such as teachers – turn to work or pleasure in the sex industry as an outlet. Nova firmly believes that these contrasting aspects of life should never overlap. She knows numerous women in the industry who maintain “conventional” jobs full-time, and worry “daily” about their side work being discovered.
That’s one of the reasons why Nova chose to completely immerse herself in the industry, as she couldn’t cope with the stress. In Barguss’ situation, her private activities were exposed through an anonymous letter sent to authorities, which ultimately revealed her secret.
Nova believes that offering a service and purchasing it are completely different matters, and she thinks that people need to learn the “tough” way that you cannot maintain such a double life. Nova disclosed: “I have a tonne of paying customers online who have all sorts of careers from doctors to teachers to CEOs, pilots and everything in between.
“They simply pay because they love the personal touch that it gets them. Surely someone wouldn’t get sacked for paying for a cam call? Your work can’t control what you spend your money on or what you decide to pleasure yourself over.
“That side of someone’s personal life is completely separate from their work life. Being the one providing the service is a totally different story though. Some people just have to learn the hard way I guess.”
Having said that, dominatrix Mistress Valentina believes people are compelled to lead double lives due to the stigma surrounding the industry. She argues that people’s private pursuits in their “alternative” life shouldn’t factor in, and reckons that Barguss shouldn’t have faced punishment.
However, like Nova, Valentina frequently encounters numerous clients who are educators and seek out “personal time” with the dominatrix. She champions the “sexual needs” of teachers, provided no harm is involved.
She explained: “I think people can have really extreme ‘double’ lives because there is still so much taboo and shame when it comes to sex in Britain.
“Even though we seem to think we are so liberal these days, the general public isn’t and she probably was keeping it quiet on the side as it was her little fun secret.
“Anyone in any job position is entitled to a full and healthy sex life however they choose to pursue it as long as it doesn’t involve anything illegal or actually brings their work into it… why should anyone care?”.
Valentina confessed: “I’ve had and have a lot of clients who are teachers and I could see their work as being quite stressful and at the end of the day they are also entitled to a private life and a sex life as long as it is kept away from work. We’re all allowed to enjoy the escapism.
“I believe in a ‘don’t ask don’t tell’ system where at the end of the day, if you find out someone is doing sex work quietly of their own accord and it isn’t damaging anyone personally, then you shouldn’t get involved in it.”
Terry Hyde, chairman of the Teaching Regulation Agency hearing, said at the time of the hearing: “The panel noted that there were numerous inappropriate images/videos within the ‘movies’ and ‘gallery’ sections of the profile, many of which had graphic titles.
“The still images of the movies appeared to show Ms Barguss engaging in sexual intercourse. The images within the gallery section of the profile showed Ms Barguss’ body from a range of angles, whilst she was wearing minimal clothing.
“Ms Barguss stated that Covid and lockdown had occurred during her time at the school, which she stated had negatively impacted upon her and which had taken a toll on her and relationship.”
The panel spoke of how despite her claims it was a means of meeting others and exploring the couple’s relationship, her actions could cause a lack in “public confidence in the profession”.
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