Sexting

As defined in the Board of Education Policy 6.312, sexting is the electronic transmission or “reception and retention” of pornographic material. In the event the material exploits a minor, all students involved in the sexting will be reported to the authorities. With this in mind, students, 6th grade or above, caught possessing or trading nude material in any format can expect to be turned over to local law enforcement and will face disciplinary actions from the school. They will be required to attend a four hour Internet Safety Class with a parent/guardian and be prohibited from possessing a cell phone for 90 days. Additionally, they will be ordered to pay a $50.00 fine, perform 20 hours of community service, and incur any other punishment the Juvenile Court Judge deems appropriate. At the school level, students in violation of the policy will receive a no less than 3-10 days suspension or in-school suspension depending on the severity of the offense. During the suspension, students will also be required to conduct independent research on the Internet and Cell Phone Safety and complete other assignments. Please note, however, that should a second event of “sexting” be attributed to your child, he or she could face much more serious legal consequences by the District Attorney General’s Office.