RHINELANDER, Wis. (WSAU) -- The teenagers involved in the recent sexting incidents in the Rhinelander area will not face criminal charges. That decision announced Monday by the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office and the Rhinelander School District.
In a joint press release, they say the recent series of inappropriate cellphone pictures could have led to felony charges, but Wisconsin law does not have “disciplinary alternatives for such offenses.” Instead of charges which would likely be damaging to the students’ futures and prevent them from entering certain occupations, they are instead bringing in Wisconsin Department of Justice Special Agent Eric Zatkowski to give presentations to the students and parents about the seriousness of taking inappropriate photographs and distributing them on social media.
Most of the incidents did not happen on school property or during school hours, but a few students are getting one day suspensions. Some other students will be penalized for violating the school’s athletic code.
The special educational sessions will take place December 3rd, and involve the Oneida County Sheriff’s Department, Oneida County Social Services, Tri-County Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, and it will work with students from Rhinelander Schools, Nativity of Our Lord Schools, and Zion Evangelical School. A separate adults-only session will be held for the parents that evening.