Sexting and how schools deal with it.

[OdinsLoveChild]

Completely new to this sort of technology stuff but dd came home from school recently and told me about dozens of students regularly sexting each other (years 8+) . She says these students have been sending naked photos to each other via snapchat and instagram and she is concerned and worried about it.

We have removed both of these apps from her phone previously as they were pre-installed on her phone (she doesn't use them anyway so was not an issue) and informed the school about her concerns but the school just said thanks and that they know its wide-spread in most high schools and students have already had lessons advising its illegal etc.

Since speaking with the school she says its got worse and more students appear to be joining in. How does your school deal with this? How widespread is it really? I have now drafted an email to the Governors but I want to suggest ways it can be dealt with using methods already in place by other schools if possible.

it isn't a school issue.

it absolutely is a school issue. DDs (yr8) school would certainly want to know if it was going on. They wouldn't just ignore it that's for sure, although have to admit that I don't actually know what they would do about it.

They have already covered it in school with the girls (multiple times) and also have laid on parents lectures where they have invited guest speakers etc about many issues that our DDs may encounter growing up both at school and at home.

I would certainly expect the school to do a bit more than say yes we know its rife...

My friend had this problem with her dd...police were involved...she was bullied in to sending the photos and boy was in trouble for distributing underage pornography,or whatever it's called

it absolutely is a school issue

no it isn't. School is about education. Beyond educating students about criminal law, it has nothing what so ever to do with them. If someone was caught committing a crime on school premises, they should be excluded, but crimes are dealt with by the police, not teachers

Parents allow their children unfettered access to the internet, including membership of apps they're not old enough to join (Snapchat, WhatsApp etc) then moan when they are irresponsible on them

Speak to your child, explain what is ok, respectful, acceptable behaviour etc. Also tell her what is legal/illegal, and set firm boundaries for her.

What are schools supposed to do about messages sent at all hours of the night, from their own homes? They cannot ban phone use out of school!
Parents' responsibility.

Stress to her that the police will be involved (whichever side she's on, victim or perpetrator), and that she can always talk to you/discuss things like this.

Sadly very widespread. Absoloutely an issue schools will deal with - big safeguarding concern. Sometimes will warrant police involvement!

Report any cases you know of to school.

It is a crime for anybody to have photos of an underage person. Even if they are a child themself (pretty certain anyway).

crimes are dealt with by the police, not teachers
But schools have a duty to safeguard children, and if they become aware of this kind of activity they have a duty to act. This may well be reporting straightbto police, but they have to action.

We refer to this for guidance, if you're interested in understanding in a bit more depth: www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/551575/6.2439_KG_NCA_Sexting_in_Schools_WEB__1_.PDF

I work with teens and this is incredibly widespread.
Myself and my colleagues report incidents to Ch Soc Serv on a weekly basis - currently, they can only follow up on incidents which involve sexts between young people and someone they don't know.
Sexts between classmates Is just too commonplace for there to be the resources to deal with it professionally.
There is masses of education - videos, plays, workshops etc.

Jeremy Hunt recently commented that the tech is available to add parental filters to mobile phones to prevent nude pictures being received - it's already used by Facebook etc so could easily be adapted.

There is little a school can do about vague reports that it's 'widespread' - however true - but my experience - as a teacher & a parent - is that specific incidents are followed up by safeguarding and referred to police or SC as appropriate - and individual education sessions led by the police can be, & are, facilitated.

It's a very difficult balance, because technically they are breaking the law by sending photos of themselves ( distribution of indecent images)
No one wants to criminalise such young teenagers ( especially as they can end up on the sex offenders register)

Therefore a lot of this is dealt with in school, but by school liaison officers ( Police)
They can deal with it under the School Beat Policy, so that the matter is dealt with ' in house' as it were, also means the young person doesn't end up with a criminal record.
Has to be done with consent of parents on both sides.

pecific incidents are followed up by safeguarding and referred to police or SC as appropriate

It must depend on the area - our SS team don't even bother to take full details of the young people involved if the report is of sexting between named students.
The do intervene, with the police, if it's a report of messages with someone a DC doesn't know, though,

Or if malicious, even between students surely?

It is first and foremost a parental responsibility. Sadly, like many things, it has been decided somewhere along the line that teachers should deal with it.
As a form tutor I deliver sessions on internet safety, I showed them Kayleigh's Love Story this week and we discussed the dangers. We have assemblies on the topic and the local police have been in and delivered talks. The pupils are aware of the dangers.
The most common problem though is between children. I have dealt with an issue today where a pupil has set up a fake account in the name of another pupil and sent some horrible messages to people. This did not happen in school time. Yet I spent a couple of hours with pupils, parents (who blamed the school) and safeguarding. In the end they decided not to involve the police.
Yes it involves pupils but not in school time. Where will the line stop?

ditsy if it's malicious, we encourage and support the young person to report to the police directly.

purple I entirely agree with you - staff In schools really shouldn't be dealing with this stuff. In the absence of effective services elsewhere, schools are increasingly picking up the slack because they can't do their job and "teach" the DCs if these issues are unresolved, but by resolving them, it leaves them with less time to actually do the teaching!