Showing posts with label Wyckoff. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wyckoff. Show all posts

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Sexting scandal at middle school in Wyckoff

Web produced by Jennifer Matarese, Eyewitness NewsWYCKOFF, N.J. (WABC) -- A 13-year-old girl took explicit photos of herself and forwarded them to several boys.

You can guess what happened next; they forwarded them to more boys and now the police are involved in this sexting scandal.

Wyckoff police have issued a warning to students at Eisenhower Middle School: delete any explicit photos on your phones by Thursday morning or face child pornography charges.

"We think that by making this a learning experience instead of arresting and charging people that there's a lot to be learned here," said Chief Benjamin Fox, of the Wyckoff Police Department.

Wyckoff Police know that dozens of students have viewed the explicit photos a 13-year-old girl took of herself and then sexted to several boys.

The sext got forwarded around until a teacher heard about it and called police.

"A lot of people are talking about it, it's a big deal now, whoever has that picture now is deleting the picture," said Goldie Felixbrod, a student.

In a letter sent home, police are asking parents to talk to their children about the dangers of sexting.

"I have an 11-year-old son, we're always looking over his shoulder, we keep him busy all the time, and that would never happen in my house," said Kevin Kohler, a parent.

Officials recommend that parents check their teenagers' photos and texts.

"I check my children's phones, I check the computers, I try to talk to them," said Tricia Dugan, a parent.

Julia's mother checks her phone every night.

I put my phone on her desk and she can check it, so I don't care because I don't have much to hide," said Julia Sancetta, a 7th grader.

But other parents expressed reservations about reading what some teens feel amounts to a modern-day diary.

"I try not to invade their privacy, but maybe I should be doing more of that," said Jim Fuhrman, a parent.

There was a similar incident in Wyckoff three years ago and this has been an issue in schools all over the country.

Police say it's always worth a reminder to warn your child about the dangers of sexting.

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new jersey, sexting, wyckoff, new jersey news, jen maxfield

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