Troy schools implement controversial new sexting policy

TROY, Mich. (WXYZ) - Troy Public School officials are implementing a new sexting policy which allows law enforcement to get involved, but civil liberties activists say it violates personal freedoms.

According to the policy, students who are on school property or attending a school event and are caught sharing, viewing or even just possessing sexually explicitly material can be punished. The policy applies to both pictures and texts.

Even if state or federal pornography laws are not broken, the district, using “reasonable suspicion” can search the student’s cell phone, computer or other electronic device. Any sexting material that’s found will be turned over to law enforcement.

The district, presumably, is trying to protect children, but the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan says the school has gone too far.

“While sexting can sometimes be an expression of bad judgment, it’s not a crime and kids should not be criminalized for these mistakes,” said Michael J. Steinberg, the legal director for the ACLU Michigan.

7 Action News reached out to Troy Public Schools for comment, but we were told nobody was available.