Teen's MySpace posting to be used to teach

BURLESON, Texas, Aug. 13 (UPI) -- A school district spokesman in Burleson, Texas, says an inappropriate posting by an area teen will be used to teach students about the risks of online posts.

Richard Crummel, spokesman for the Burleson Independent School District, said Burleson High School student Lindsey Wessel will not be punished for her MySpace posting, which featured a questionable word and photos of the teen in a bikini, KTXA-TV, Dallas, reported Thursday.

Wessel, 16, was initially suspended from drill team for her school's first football game and was facing eight demerits for the use of a profanity on the social networking Web site.

School district officials reversed the disciplinary action after Wessel's parents appealed it.

Crummel said the school district will still expect members of extra-curricular activities to avoid controversial situations, particularly in the realm of online social networking.

"We will also use this opportunity to inform students about the dangers and pitfalls associated with personal postings on social networking sites that may cause complications for them when applying for college, seeking references, employment or scholarship monies," he said.