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High school sexting, cyberbullying could lead to child porn charges

Police are investigating after school officials discovered nude photos and bullying tweets circulating on among students from multiple N.J. high schools.

By UPI Staff

ELIZABETH, N.J., Oct. 25 (UPI) -- The Elizabeth school district in New Jersey is investigating after nude photos and bullying messages were found circulating on Twitter among students from multiple high schools.

All 5,300 students at the district's six high schools have been warned that those responsible for sharing the lewd photos could face charges.

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"Some of these photos were very sexually explicit. Pictures of body parts," said Elizabeth Public Schools spokesman Donald Goncalves. "The victims appear to be teenage people at the high school level. Although it could even involve kids in the 7th or 8th grade."

Due to the age of those pictured, officials say the images could be considered child pornography.

"What was being put on there were various forms of harassment, bullying and in many cases, could be construed as criminal behavior," said Elizabeth schools spokesman Donald Goncalvez.

The discovery of the sexually suggestive photos, four so far, and hundreds of obscene messages prompted a police investigation. School officials were able to have the offending images removed from Twitter and the involved accounts shut down.

In a message posted to the school district's website, Superintendent Olga Hugelmeyer said said cyber-bullying "will not be tolerated."

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"These investigations will be aggressive and complete, and the consequences will be stern," Hugelmeyer wrote. "These behaviors cannot and will not be tolerated."

Students suggest petty feuds may be fueling the distribution of photos and online harassment.

"A lot of people they don't like each other. Everyone has problems over there. They probably do it out of revenge or just being hateful, spiteful," one student told WCBS.

"It's disgusting, and I actually get scared," said another. "Like if people get mad at me, they might actually do something like that to me."

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