Police investigating after middle schoolers discovered sexting

EVERETT, Mass. (MyFoxBoston.com) -- Police are investigating after teachers uncovered a sexting scandal at two schools involving students as young as 12 years old. 

The investigation is just beginning at the English and Whittier school, two schools that house kindergarten through eighth grade classes in Everett.

"Four girls at the English School sent nude pictures to boys," said Fred Foresteire, Everett's school superintendent.
Parents in the city are upset.

"It's scary, the way technology is now, and the way I was coming up, it's completely different," said Everett parent Bernaco Stroud.

Everett school officials say four seventh and eighth grade girls from the Madeline English K-8 School were discovered texting nude photos of themselves to four to five boys at the Sumner Whitter K-8 School.

"It's sad," said Everett parent Tina LeBlanc. "It's really sad."

The girls are ages 12 and 13, and the boys 12 to 15 years old.

"A parent anonymously called the principal of the Whitter School and in turn, he talked with the principal at the English School and they were able to back track everything," Foresteire said.

Everett police detectives say they were notified of the incident late last week, and they're in the beginning of their investigation. They tell say they're going to coordinate with the district attorney's office to determine if charges are appropriate.

It's unclear for how long the sexting has gone on, Superintendent Forestaire says the district has a strict cell phone policy and nothing happened on school grounds.

"They're 12 and 13. That's pretty young to be engaging on this type of behavior," he  said. "They don't realize the ramifications of years from now.""

Everett schools health and wellness coordinator Jodi Lava said this problem is not unique to Everett, and added that both parents and schools have to work together.

"Children at that age, especially at that age, don't have the brain development to really think about the consequences of their choices. So we really need to work on instilling and talking about the future and goal setting and building self esteem," Lava said.

The school district sent a letter to parents Monday evening, and a special consultant has been called in to work with students after this incident.

Cox Media Group