Education assistant and OnlyFans creator speaks out after being fired: 'It's ridiculous'

A B.C. education assistant who went public wanting to break the stigma around sex work has lost her school job — allegedly due to her side-hustle.

Kristin MacDonald — also known under her OnlyFans alias "Ava James" — says she was terminated from her job as an EA from the Port Coquitlam school she worked at for years. According to her, the school cited her OnlyFans and social media content as the reason.

MacDonald told Yahoo Canada she received an email on June 16, "four or five pages" long, informing her she had been fired and why.

"Honestly, it's ridiculous to me," she said.

Among the reasons allegedly outlined, MacDonald added, was a "schoolgirl" outfit she wore in some of her adult content.

"They were trying to say that because I dressed up as a schoolgirl, I was bringing my position as an educator into my OnlyFans career and vice versa," MacDonald said.

"This poor education assistant, who makes under $50,000 a year, has been fired for dressing up as a school girl. It just doesn't make sense," she claimed.

In an email to Yahoo Canada on Thursday afternoon, School District 43 (Coquitlam) communications representative Ken Hoff said "the District does not comment on individual employee matters."

The district "recognizes and values the central role its employees play in achieving the district's purpose of providing quality public education in a safe, inclusive, and socially responsible environment for the benefit of the learners it serves and the broader community," the email read.

"Consistent with that, the district strives to ensure all employees are treated equitably and issues are investigated and addressed thoroughly and fairly in accordance with the district's policies, procedures and legal obligations."

Recap since going public

MacDonald's situation began back in late April, about nine months after she began creating adult content on OnlyFans — a subscription-based platform for adults over the age of 18.

At the time, the mom-of-one told Yahoo Canada she had recently gotten a divorce and was struggling.

"I think I was kind of maybe looking to build some confidence... And obviously, to make extra money as well," she said in a May interview. As an EA, MacDonald said she barely made a living wage and had to cover benefits out-of-pocket.

On April 28, she received an email from her employer allegedly demanding she remove all of her social media relating to her alias, Ava James. According to her, she was told the content was not appropriate for someone who works with children.

She then went public with her story, calling the situation unfair.

"I did take precautions. I wanted to ensure that it was far away from my profession as an education assistant," she said at the time.

Since sharing her story, Ava James's Instagram following doubled to 40,000.

"I had never expected that would get this much attention. And it's literally gone international, which is bananas," she said Wednesday. "It's certainly been a rollercoaster ride of emotions."

MacDonald admitted she's trying to stay in her "bubble" when it comes to public reactions.

"I know that there's people that strongly disagree with what I've been doing, and that's fine. But then again, I've received tons and tons of support and positive feedback."

Termination 'incredibly unfair'

Even though MacDonald says she expected her termination, it saddened her when the decision was made.

"It's not necessarily as easy to swallow as you thought when you were expecting it," she confessed.

"I've really tried to stay positive, through all of this... I'm hopeful that where I am now, there will be other opportunities."

MacDonald loved her job as an EA, a career she chose after seeing the challenges her brother with autism has faced in his life.

After her termination from the B.C. school, MacDonald said she is considering legal action.

"I am still committed to fighting their decision, to go through the grievance process," she claimed. "And, I've spoken to a lawyer as well about going through the Human Rights Tribunal."

Her goal? To set a precedent, she said.

"I want to change policy within the education system. My goal... has been to create awareness, over the double standard that still exists, in my opinion, between men and women."

According to MacDonald, at one of the investigation meeting with the school, she asked: "If I get fired for being a content creator, for OnlyFans, are you going to be firing all of my male colleagues who are subscribers to OnlyFans?"

Though acknowledging the two are different, she claimed "it's old school" to shame creators and not those who consume products of a multi-billion-dollar industry.

"If there wasn't a market to do what I'm doing, we wouldn't be doing it... So to only shame the woman — is kind of how I hear it — I think is incredibly unfair."

She alleged the school had subscribed to her OnlyFans to "look at my s—-." The content, which can only be accessed by those who pay a $6 monthly fee, was screenshotted by the investigation board, MacDonald alleged. Not only that, but it was shared with the entire staff, she claimed.

"It was emailed to me, my colleagues, the union people, it's probably put in a file somewhere. They're telling me that I'm inappropriate.... I think what they did is absolutely insane."

Also in those investigation meetings, MacDonald alleged, dozens of comments from colleagues were read to her.

"One of them was: "with her appearance, she shouldn't be working in a school," she alleged.

"I felt very discriminated against based on appearance... It was a pretty shitty feeling."

Story 'not over yet'

MacDonald said she understands some of her colleague's criticism; she did, after all, put the school "on blast," she said.

"I'm not wanting to play the victim. I understand the position I put myself in, I'm more than willing to accept the consequences."

The B.C.-native still believes her situation can set a precedent and, even with the outcome, she has no regrets.

"We all have doubts throughout big decisions in our lives. But I would say that more so than not, I believe that... I stuck to what I believed in and I still am, and I don't regret it."

MacDonald said she understand some people might have a "moral dilemma" with her position in a school and as an adult content creator.

"You can have an opinion on my lifestyle on what I do outside of work, that's fine. It does not mean I lose my job over it," she stated.

"There there are many people in this world that choose to live an alternative lifestyle, or to go against the grain, and it does not mean they lose their job. People are entitled to be employed."

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