Habersham County school students are being warned about their online activities in the midst of a sexting investigation.
During a lunchtime assembly at Habersham Central High School on Monday, Principal Jonathan Stribling told students, “Right now there is an investigation going on at our school and it’s big and it involves lots of students.”
Officials say the investigation was launched on November 13 after a pornographic video began circulating among students.
“Along with the video, a rumor was also circulating that a high school student appeared in the video,” says Habersham County School Superintendent Matthew Cooper.
Criminal investigators with the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office interviewed students from several schools to determine the source of the video and to find out who was circulating it. They also looked into the claim that students were in the video.
“While the investigation remains open, it has been determined that the video was downloaded from a pornographic website and that the individuals within the video were not, in any way, affiliated with Habersham County,” says Habersham Sheriff’s Lt. Matthew Wurtz. He says no arrests have been made at this time.
Students warned of potential consequences
School administrators and law enforcement participated in assemblies at Habersham Central and the Ninth Grade Academy on Monday (Nov. 18). They sought to educate students about the potential legal ramifications and code of conduct violations associated with sexting.
Now Habersham obtained a recording of the remarks made during the assembly at Habersham Central.
“If an individual is suspected of possessing, manufacturing, or sending nude or partially nude photos we’re gonna get your phone,” School Resource Officer Sgt. Griggs Wall told students. “Your phone will be taken into evidence.”
Wall stressed that anyone caught sexting could face felony charges and, if convicted, could be required to register as a sex offender. He advised students who might have inappropriate images on their phones to “do a factory reset” and report anyone who is distributing such images to authorities.
In addition to the potential legal consequences, students caught sexting also face school disciplinary measures including possible in-school suspension or alternative school. “If you choose to break these rules then you’re making the choice to take the punishment that comes along with that,” warned Habersham Central High School counselor Donnie Bennett.
Cooper says Habersham Success Academy will hold its assembly tomorrow. He adds the school system “will not be providing any details regarding specific schools involved, specific students who were questioned, nor any information regarding consequences that students may have received at school.”
According to Cooper, investigators still have not determined who started circulating the video. There’s no clear indication at this time as to how much longer the investigation could last.
“I’m not so sure when it will be over,” Stribling said. “I don’t know because it’s one of those things that’s snowballing and getting bigger.”
Cooper commended high school administrators for being proactive and for working “to protect our students from the many dangers that are found through the internet and cell phone use.” He encourages parents to have conversations with their students about their online activity and “to make their students aware of the dangers and consequences of such behaviors.”
READ Supt. Cooper’s full statement here
