Former porn star Sasha Grey says she will not withdraw from an elementary school reading program despite outcry from angry parents, according to reports.
Last week, news broke that a Los Angeles-area elementary school is facing major criticism from some parents after the district allowed Grey to read to a group of 1st graders as part of the Read Across America program.
“I’m committed to this program with the understanding that people would have their own opinions about what I have done, who I am and what I represent,” she said in a statement.
“I am an actor. I am an artist. I am a daughter. I am a sister. I am a partner. I have a past that some people may not agree with, but it does not define who I am. I believe in the future of our children, and I will remain an active supporter and participant in education-focused initiatives.”
Media outlets obtained photos of Grey reading to the children at Emerson Elementary School in Compton on November 2 as part of Read Across America.
Grey also tweeted about the experience, gushing that the students were the “sweetest”.
Angry parents fired back at the school’s decision, complaining to the PTA, who then contacted the school’s principal.
A rep for the school district however has flatly denied that Sasha Grey was ever present at the school, in spite of the alleged photos.
“We have several celebrities who read to our students each year. The actress you have indicated was not present,” the rep told reporters.
Earlier this year, Sasha Grey announced that she was no longer working in the porn industry and wanted to transition into mainstream acting. She has appeared in HBO’s “Entourage,” where she played a fictional version herself and Steven Soderbergh’s 2009 film “The Girlfriend Experience,” where she played a hooker.
“From now on I will not be playing roles where I play a version of myself, or a hooker, for a very long time,” she said. “I think ‘The Girlfriend Experience’ and ‘Entourage’ were the best places to play those two roles and it can’t get any better. I don’t want to repeat myself, and I think if I continue to take those types of roles I will only be given those roles.”
She also released a photography compilation book entitled “NEU SEX” earlier this year.
(((Should former porn star Sasha Grey be banned from volunteering at local elementary schools because of her past? Would you have a problem with her reading to your children or grandchildren?)))
