MI- "Sexting" Scandal Hits Another Local School

1-29-2009 Michigan:

It's not texting--- it's sexting, and it's a new trend in local schools.

This time, students from the Herbison Woods School in DeWitt were caught sending and sharing explicit photos.

"We had several students inappropriately taking pictures and distributing them on cell phones," Superintendent Tina Templin said.

Templin would not confirm the details of this case, but parents we talked to said two sixth graders...a girl and boy... took revealing pictures of themselves, sent them via picture text to each other, then shared them with friends.

"I guess I've heard about it happening in high school, maybe junior high , but sixth grade? That's pretty young for that to be happening," Steve McGiveron said.

McGiveron has two kids at Dewitt High School.

"Back in my day you would just look at Playboy under the bed, so it's nothing new," he said, "but I think technology has allowed it to become so much easier and widely accessible to people of all ages."

One parent with children at Herbison Woods said this is a growing problem and enforcement has got to start at home, so she's blocked picture texts from her kids' cell phones.

Parental involvement is imperative, Templin said, and that's why she sent a letter to every parent in the district.

"I really wanted to inform the parents of the seriousness of the situation and also for their help with talking to the students," she said.

Templin would not discuss punishment, except to say no students will be expelled.

But parents tell Newsten the male "honor student" was suspended for five days while the young girl is still in school.

"There would not be a double standard," Templin said. "We would apply the code of conduct evenly across the genders. There would not be discrimination happening."

Sexting, a childish mistake, with serious ramifications.

The DeWitt Police Department would not comment on whether criminal charges will be filed. ..News Source.. by Jamie Edmonds