The Los Angeles Unified District is expanding its efforts against bullying to include a widespread campaign against sexting- the act of using social media or texting to send others "photos of others, semi-nude pictures, sexually explicit cartoons and messages," according to The Los Angeles Times.

The district's efforts to get students, parents, school police, and community leaders to be a part of the anti-sexting campaign is the largest in the state of California. California has not joined the 20 other states with legislation against sexting because it has failed to do so, so the matter has become a district-to-district issue.

Aside from distracting students from learning within the classroom, sexting can be and is used as a form of cyberbullying, and the statistics on it might surprise you.

According to The Times, "[a] 2014 Texas study found that 28% of teens surveyed had sent naked pictures of themselves via social media and 60% had been asked for one."

Because the practice is so common, students don't learn the gravity behind sharing sensitive information and photos that can quickly escalate to criminal activity.

In one school in the district, Venice High School, controversy struck when 15 boys were arrested on suspicion of sharing sexually explicit photos of two female students and potentially assaulting them.

The district is hoping that with the absence of legislation and education policy dictating the matter, its campaign will serve as the education students need.

The campaign will begin this fall and will include lesson plans, videos, and hand-outs.

"'We're really trying to get the message out that before you push that send button, please think about what it may mean to you — not just the criminal factor but the embarrassment, your future employment, college entrance. What you do now matters, and they need to understand that,'" said L.A. Unified Police Chief Steven Zipperman to The Times.

Read the full article here and comment below.

Article by Nicole Gorman, Education World Contributor

07/07/2015