I’d always been told that being an escort in the UK was legal. In fact if you Google it, you’ll find the same thing.

“The exchange of sexual services for money is legal in the UK.”

But being legal and being punished for it, as it seems, are two very different things. Something a school teacher just found out the hard way.

Samantha Barguss, a primary school teacher at Hall Green Infant School in Birmingham, has been banned from teaching indefinitely after it was discovered she had been working as an escort. The decision follows a series of events beginning with an anonymous complaint in 2022.

In 2022, Hall Green Infant School received an anonymous letter alleging that Barguss, 30, was “openly working as an escort.” The school promptly held a meeting with Barguss on January 24, 2023, where she initially denied the allegations. However, she admitted to some aspects of the claims the following day and resigned immediately.

Birmingham City Council referred the case to the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) on February 1, 2023. A subsequent tribunal reviewed the evidence, including screenshots of an online profile linked to Barguss. The profile, corroborated by her Facebook posts, showed her engaging in sexual acts and posing in minimal clothing.

Barguss admitted that the images were of her but denied seeking financial gain. She claimed the lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic had affected her mental health and relationship, leading her to join the website to meet “like-minded” individuals. She stated that she attempted to conceal her identity by hiding her tattoos in the images.

The tribunal noted that some of the images clearly showed her face and that her online profile included a detailed pricing structure: £120 for half an hour, £220 ($283) for an hour, and £1,600 ($2065) overnight.

Despite Barguss’s claim that she never earned income from the website and only intended to explore her relationship, the tribunal found the price list indicative of an intent to sell sexual services.

The panel determined that her actions constituted unacceptable professional conduct. They expressed concern that students could potentially discover her profile, which might lead them to believe that posting explicit images was an acceptable way to make money.

The tribunal’s findings led to Barguss being prohibited from teaching indefinitely. She may apply for the prohibition order to be set aside in July 2029. In her statement, Barguss acknowledged her actions were naïve and deeply regrettable, emphasizing that she took her teaching role seriously.

The exchange of sexual services for money is legal in the UK. However, this case highlights the professional and ethical standards expected of educators. The tribunal’s decision underscores the importance of maintaining these standards to protect students and uphold the integrity of the teaching profession.

This case has garnered significant attention, raising questions about the boundaries of personal conduct for public servants and educators.

As society navigates the complexities of privacy and professional responsibility, incidents like this challenge institutions to define and enforce appropriate behavior for their members.

It’s really no different here in the US. We’ve recently covered stories of many people being fired for things they do in their private lives, like the Nashville cop who got caught appearing in an OnlyFans video.

There is a fine line between what is legal and what is acceptable, for those who have careers outside of the adult industry.