Nearly 50 Georgia high school students caught up in sexting scandal

Credit: Pixabay

Credit: Pixabay

Dozens of students at a North Georgia high school have been caught up in a sexting scandal.

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Union County Schools Superintendent John Hill confirmed around 50 of the 850 students at Union County High School in Blairsville were caught sending naked pictures of classmates over their phones.

That’s nearly 6 percent of the school’s population. Hill said the students range in age from 14 to 18.

Hill said most students didn't realize that the sexting was illegal and could have led to child pornography charges.

"It's just a very large problem," Hill said. "This has been very disturbing to our high school and to our school system, and I think it's impacted our community."

A parent brought the issue to the principal’s attention a few weeks ago, he said.

Officials have since determined that at least 46 students were involved in the illegal exchange of nude photographs of each other.

The Union County Schools Police Department is investigating the situation.

Hill said the school district could have filed felony child porn charges but decided against it.

"In Georgia, if you're under the age of 18, that's actually manufacturing and distribution of child pornography," Hill said.

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