The Naked Truth

FRANCESCA SOTELO
Staff Writer
“Sexting,” the exchange of sexual pictures and innuendo in text messages, in high school is more common than students will admit, not to mention illegal, but whether the school should get involved is a whole different issue.
In high schools across the country, cell phone use is prohibited and may be confiscated at any opportunity, but should these phones be searched? Many students fight this, just as a Pennsylvania teen did. Given the alias “N.N.,” she was suspended for three days when naked pictures were found on her phone. Outraged and embarrassed, she sued the school district and won a $33,000 settlement.
The district argues that once the phone is in their possession they have the right to search it if they have a reason to believe the student is in danger; in this case they did not. The phone was confiscated because “N.N.” moved to answer a call, but no other infraction was committed.
If the school administrators don’t have a reason to believe that something is wrong, they have no right to violate anyone’s privacy. Some things you just don’t need to know.