PORT ST. LUCIE (NBC) -- A former Florida teacher claims she was unjustly fired because of her part-time job.

Maine Credit Unions

Tiffany Shephard says she was abruptly fired from her job teaching at Port St. Lucie High School.

"They would not tell me why. I asked the straight out if it was because of my part-time job."

The biology teacher had recently begun working part-time with 'Smokin Em' Charters, a fishing boat that's been in the news before.

They offer excursions with topless and bikini clad female mates.

Shephard contends fishing is her passion and would do it in a bikini anyway.

She says she did nothing wrong to justify losing her job.

"I'm a biologist. I have fished all my life. To fish and get paid, and make as much money in two days as I make in a week teaching, it was just an excellent opportunity and I would have been a fool to pass it up," said Shepherd.

The owners of the fishing charter are standing behind Shepherd, and plan to have their attorney look into her situation.

"The same people that fired her are women that are out there wearing bikinis in front of their children to swim in their pool, so what's wrong with her wearing a bikini to work on a boat?", said Kathi Coombes, owner of the charter company.

But in a statement, a St. Lucie County school district spokesperson says Shepherd was not fired for her part-time job, but for her attendance.

Shephard says until she can get he classroom back, she plans to make the most out of the fishing boat and instill some knowledge on those who come aboard.

"As a matter of fact, when I am on the boat, most of the time, I give biology, marine biology lessons. It works out perfect because a lot of the guys have never been on a boat before. They have never fished, so they are coming off the boat with some fish and a little bit of knowledge," said Shephard.

The school district says Shepherd will continue to be paid for the remainder of this school year.

Call me a prude, but I don't think someone like that needs to be teaching High School anyways. There is a teacher like her here, she's getting fired for sucking off people on the football team.

Call me a prude, but I don't think someone like that needs to be teaching High School anyways. There is a teacher like her here, she's getting fired for sucking off people on the football team.

Call me a prude, but I don't think someone like that needs to be teaching High School anyways. There is a teacher like her here, she's getting fired for sucking off people on the football team.

Good call in judging someone based entirely on their looks. You are a shining star and a guidance to your peers!

But at the same time I kind of agree with Noir. I mean yeah, of course all of us would have wanted a teacher like that, but I mean there is such a thing as professionalism. And to be honest those pictures really don't say that, regardless if it was a part time job or not. And since those pictures are the only thing I can really base upon that, then what else am i supposed to believe?

Mabye if we paid teachers better, she would not have to work part time.

Good call in judging someone based entirely on their looks. You are a shining star and a guidance to your peers!

Call me a prude, but I don't think someone like that needs to be teaching High School anyways. There is a teacher like her here, she's getting fired for sucking off people on the football team.

I was actually talking about her choice in a side job. "Hey sonny, I saw your teacher out on the boat today, GREAT TITS"

Good call in jumping to an assumption that was completely incorrect and could have been avoided with a simple "what do you mean". You are a.. well I like you so I'll leave the sarcasm there.

There's no need to ask what you meant, you made it pretty clear, She's an attractive blonde lady, clearly because she's pretty in a bikini she has no need to teach in schools? Perhaps she enjoys teaching, from the article she seems to even give marine biology statements on the fishing boats.

What do YOU think she should be doing?

That's a valid point, but at the same I do think that a pose of professionalism is expected when teaching. When she took that job, she should have realized that she was putting her position as a teacher at risk. While it is a part time job, it is something that, once publically known, could cause a huge lash at the school from many parents.

And she could always have gotten a job on a boat that does not have a reputation for having topless women running around. It's completely unprofessional, and in my opinion indefensible.

I think thats kind of a ridiculous statement. Maybe all her life she's wanted to be a teacher, you're saying she can't get the job she wants because of how she looks? I understand that theres a risk of some sort of scandal, but you shouldn't just not hire someone because they MIGHT be involved in a scandal at one point, if they get involved punish them then.

Anyway, I agree with Raz, as far as I'm concerned, these kinds of teachers are only myths, merely urban legends. I've never seen a teacher that is attractive before, and something tells me that I probably never will.

should have been at my highschool.. we had some sub teachers from TCU (college near me) and OMG....

quick question, if the teacher in question was ugly, would this even be a story? if she had small tits, would people still be up in arms? just a question..

Srsly, dude, she shouldn't lose her job, she shouldn't be even told that what she's doing is wrong. Bikinis are not wrong. Fishing is not wrong. Bikini fishing is not wrong. So what's unprofessional about it? Do you wear a swimsuit to the beach? Yes. Do you wear a swimsuit on a boat? YES, it's like a beach with less sand. What the hell is unprofessional about it?

There is a big difference going to the beach wearing a bikini, or even just fishing with only a bikini, and working in a job where you are making yourself a sexual attraction.