Months after several Tunkhannock Area School students were caught sending naked pictures of themselves on their cell phones, investigators are ready to punish those responsible.
Friday they announced a special program created for this crime.
Once the nude and semi-nude explicit photos were sent to one phone, investigators said more and more pictures started showing up at Tuhannock Area High School. At one point those dirty pictures were sent to a middle schooler's phone.
"Last night we sat down with a group of parents and their kids and explained what we wanted to do with their children to try and get them through this," said Wyoming County District Attorney George Skumanick.
He added the students involved, ages 11 to 17, must go through a five- week education course, two hours one night each week.
This agreement is meant to keep felony charges off thee students' records.
"We felt these kids were doing this out of a naivete and stupidity. We wanted to create a situation where we educated them and avoided marking them for life, unnecessarily," the district attorney said.
"What were they doing with cell phones in school in the first place? That's where they got caught. That's way too young to have a cell phone," said Susan Stone of Tunkhannock.
Parents in the district were glad the students aren't getting away with a slap on the wrist.
"I think the education program is a good idea because I think it will teach them exactly what they did wrong and maybe take steps to change their behavior in the future," said Amy Smith of Meshoppen.
Changing their behavior is exactly what school leaders want to show the studentts that sending nude photos of themselves isn't only a crime, it doesn't say much for their self esteem.
"They're their own people they have their own minds. They don't have to follow the crowds, do what everyone else is doing. I think some sort of classes, because I don't think kids today realize they have their own thoughts. They just do whatever everybody else is doing," Smith added.
If those students don't pass the after-school course they could face felony charges of sexual abuse of children and illegal use of a cell phone. That could land students in a juvenile detention center.
The after school classes start in March.
Once the nude and semi-nude explicit photos were sent to one phone, investigators said more and more pictures started showing up at Tuhannock Area High School. At one point those dirty pictures were sent to a middle schooler's phone.
"Last night we sat down with a group of parents and their kids and explained what we wanted to do with their children to try and get them through this," said Wyoming County District Attorney George Skumanick.
He added the students involved, ages 11 to 17, must go through a five- week education course, two hours one night each week.
This agreement is meant to keep felony charges off thee students' records.
"We felt these kids were doing this out of a naivete and stupidity. We wanted to create a situation where we educated them and avoided marking them for life, unnecessarily," the district attorney said.
"What were they doing with cell phones in school in the first place? That's where they got caught. That's way too young to have a cell phone," said Susan Stone of Tunkhannock.
Parents in the district were glad the students aren't getting away with a slap on the wrist.
"I think the education program is a good idea because I think it will teach them exactly what they did wrong and maybe take steps to change their behavior in the future," said Amy Smith of Meshoppen.
Changing their behavior is exactly what school leaders want to show the studentts that sending nude photos of themselves isn't only a crime, it doesn't say much for their self esteem.
"They're their own people they have their own minds. They don't have to follow the crowds, do what everyone else is doing. I think some sort of classes, because I don't think kids today realize they have their own thoughts. They just do whatever everybody else is doing," Smith added.
If those students don't pass the after-school course they could face felony charges of sexual abuse of children and illegal use of a cell phone. That could land students in a juvenile detention center.
The after school classes start in March.
