A 13-year-old boy was arrested and held in juvenile detention overnight because a female classmate sent him (and other boys) a naked picture of herself. The best line of the story–“So far only the 13-year-old boy has been arrested.”

Beyond the prudery and overreaction, the most outrageous thing about the story is that this boy and only this boy is being punished for something only the girl did. She sent the photo, he gets punished.

From Student faces porn charge over text message sent by classmate (WFAA-TV, 10/-8/08):

SANGER – A controversy has arisen out of Denton County involving a 13-year-old boy, a cell phone and a text message. That message has landed the middle schooler in juvenile detention on child pornography charges.
Text messaging has become part of our everyday lives.

But at Sanger Middle School, it has become a problem and in some cases, pornographic.

“He doesn’t know what a felony means. He doesn’t understand what pornography means,” said one parent.

She is a mother of a 13-year-old boy arrested Monday and suspended from school and spent the night in a juvenile detention center after an eighth grade female student texted him a naked picture of herself.

“He’s a 13-year-old child. He’s in middle school. He’s supposed to be out there having fun, hanging out and playing football, which he loves to do. Instead, he’s having to sit at home with mom and dad,” said his mother.

The school district caught wind of the problem about a week and a half ago.

The sent out a letter to parents, warning them of the images from this apparent school yard game.

“I know some girl was taking pictures of herself and sending it to multiple guys. Obviously, they’ve still got their picture on their phone because they are now getting in trouble,” said Bethany Mitchell, a classmate.
So far only the 13-year-old boy has been arrested.

Police and the school district are not discussing actions against any of the other students.

I encourage readers to write to reporter Craig Civale and encourage him to continue investigating the story. His email address is ccivale@wfaa.com.

To watch the news video, click here.

Thanks to Cecilia, a reader, for sending the story.

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