Students suspended over sharing cell phone photo

school officials have begun handing out suspensions to Pinckney students directly involved with receiving or transmitting a revealing photo a 14-year-old girl took of herself with a cell phone and sent to her friends.

As of Monday, approximately 10 in-school and out-of-school suspensions had been given out, said pinckney community high school Principal Jim darga. In all, school officials have said there are about 20 students, including the girl, who could be disciplined.

district officials said the photo of the Pinckney girl, which showed her genitals and her face, has reportedly been transmitted to at least a couple hundred students throughout livingston county and beyond.

Some of the same students facing school suspension could also face criminal charges, as the picture could be considered child pornography because of the girl's age, said Livingston county prosecutor david morse.

Monday afternoon, Morse said he is still awaiting a final report on the incident from the livingston county Sheriff's Department before deciding if he will pursue charges.

The school suspensions are being given to students based on their level of involvement in the incident, said darga, who said he learned of the picture Oct. 7 when a copy of it and a note identifying the girl was left anonymously on his desk. The students receiving the suspensions were identified through a comprehensive investigation led by school officials, darga said.

"The students have been pretty forthright," he said. "We did not have to go to anything extreme to determine who was involved."

Although the picture was taken during the summer and shared with friends before school started, copies of it began circulating more frequently after classes began this fall, school officials said.

"That contributes to a disruption of the educational environment and that is why we determined that disciplinary action needed to be taken," darga said.

leanne smith can be reached at lsmith@livingstoncommunitynews.com or at 810-844-2011.

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Tuesday, October 21, 2008 |

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