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Racy Photos Cost Teacher Her Job

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By TODD LESKANIC, The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 10, 2008

Updated: 02/09/2008 11:33 pm

BROOKSVILLE - Somehow, racy photographs from Christina Ofria's past made their way into the hands of administrators at Hernando Christian Academy.

Ofria, the school's music director for eight years, was called into the school's office and either fired or encouraged to resign. Since that day in March, the divorced mother of two has learned the difficulties of restoring a reputation in a town of 7,600.

She's hoping the courts can help.

In August, Ofria, 36, filed suit against Hernando Christian, teacher Jennifer Larberg-Smith and an ex-boyfriend, Matthew Clardy, alleging they defamed her by showing the photographs to others or telling others about them.

Although the lawsuit indicates she is seeking more than $15,000 in damages, Ofria said money isn't why she sued.

"It's mainly just that I want to clear my name," Ofria said. "I'm not money-hungry. That's not what I'm doing here. There was an injustice, and there were malicious acts from my ex-boyfriend and his friend and it was slanderous and unnecessary."

Ofria also wants the photographs returned to her. Pete Miller, a Miami attorney who represents the school and Larberg-Smith, said he has the pictures under seal in his office.

Before losing her job, Ofria hadn't thought about Clardy, 35, or the pictures for years. She and Clardy burned the photos shortly after they were taken, seven or eight years ago. Ofria thought every picture and negative had been destroyed.

It's not clear how the photos turned up at Hernando Christian. Ofria's theory is laid out in her lawsuit: She thinks Larberg-Smith, 35, brought the photos to school after the two had a falling-out.

How Larberg-Smith might have come by the photos also is unclear, though she and Clardy are both from Brooksville, attended Hernando High School together and have remained friends.

Miller said Larberg-Smith had nothing to do with the photos showing up at school.

"One of the parents of a student, without ever seeing the photographs, learned about their existence and felt that if, in fact, these pictures did exist and did show what they were told they showed, that that was a problem for a teacher at a Christian school.

"It was through that parent that the pictures ultimately got to the school."

Contract's Role Model Clause

Miller wouldn't say whether Ofria resigned or was fired, but her contract clearly states that she was expected to live as a Christian role model.

"I'm such a different person from when this happened," Ofria said. "People slip up. They're human."

Ofria offered Jan. 31 to settle her claim against Clardy for $17,500. Clardy's attorney has yet to respond to the offer, according to Ofria's attorney, Jack Gordon.

Neither Clardy nor Larberg-Smith could be reached for comment.

But in a January deposition, Clardy said he took the photographs with his camera and had them developed at a local photo shop. The surviving pictures show Ofria in provocative poses, Gordon said.

Gordon said Clardy testified the photos came up while he and Larberg-Smith were having dinner one night in February 2007.

"Jennifer was complaining to Matt about difficulties she was having with my client," Gordon said. "Matt advised Jennifer he was in possession of these photographs, and Jennifer asked him to give them to her."
Clardy denied knowing anything about Larberg-Smith's intentions and said he told her to give back the photos after he realized the trouble they had caused, Gordon said.

Before all this, Ofria's life was relatively simple. In her nine years at Hernando Christian, she had worked her way from an office clerk to the school's music director, despite not having a bachelor's degree.

Ofria's musical talent landed her the job, which entailed teaching elementary music theory and music appreciation classes to the school's 400 students and directing student productions.

The salary wasn't great - Ofria's latest contract paid her $18,200 - but she built a nice side business teaching piano lessons after school.

The money she earned from the private lessons helped her support her two children, ages 15 and 16, and pay bills. By the time she was fired from Hernando Christian, Ofria had about 30 students, many of whom paid her $20 or $25 per lesson, once a week.

Photos Have Changed Everything

Her life was quiet, uncomplicated - the way she wanted it.

But those old photographs changed everything.

Aside from teaching her remaining piano students, Ofria hasn't worked since her departure from the academy.

Her job search has been hindered by her lack of a degree. The jobs she did inquire about either required her to take too many hours away from her children or simply didn't pay enough.

Since her firing, Ofria has lost all but a few piano clients, something she attributes to the pictures and the ensuing gossip. She said she called her clients after she was fired to see whether they wanted to continue their lessons.

"Some of them called me back, and I think two of them said they wanted to continue their lessons," Ofria said. "The rest didn't call me back or said no for one reason or another.

"I've been completely ostracized, and it's really hurtful."

Ofria said her current boyfriend and her parents have been helping her financially.

Worse than the financial strain has been walking around town, wondering who knows or has heard about the pictures.

"What do they think of me?" she asks herself.

She said she has considered moving but would hate to uproot her children and move away from her parents, who live next door.

Ofria said she was raised in a Christian family and has always maintained high moral standards. She said she dresses modestly and always dressed professionally at Hernando Christian.

Since her divorce in 1996, Ofria hasn't dated much. The photos that forced her out of Hernando Christian were taken during the year or so she dated Clardy. Letting him take the photos was foolish, she said, but she thinks her punishment has far exceeded the mistake.

"I don't want the drama. I just want to be happy and live my life," she said. "That's what I was doing before this: working and living my life. It was sometimes mundane, but nonetheless, I was content. And my world was ripped out from under me. That was my career."

Reporter Todd Leskanic can be reached at (352) 521-3156 or tleskanic@tampatrib.com.

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