Suicide of teen who made sex video shows dilemma for schools

[JonLP24]

CHICAGO (AP) — Staff at a suburban Chicago high school called 16-year-old Corey Walgren to the dean’s office to ask about a video he made of himself having sex with a classmate. A few hours later, the teen walked to the top of a five-story parking deck and jumped.

The suicide of the honor-roll student underscored a dilemma for schools when confronting students suspected of recording and sharing sexual images: Should school officials wait until parents arrive to pose questions and search cellphones for illicit photos or video? Or do they, as de facto parents, have the authority to investigate crimes that might include child pornography?

The issue also raises a high-stakes legal question because many child porn laws predate the phenomena of teens sharing sexual images by cellphone. And neither they nor their parents usually have any idea that doing so can trigger serious penalties, including being labeled a sex offender for life.

<snip>

His parents have sued the school, accusing it in a federal lawsuit of unnecessarily traumatizing their son by warning him he could be charged and forced to register as a sex offender. They are seeking more than $5 million in damages.

“They scared the hell out of the kid, and that’s what drove Corey to kill himself,” said Maureen and Doug Walgren’s attorney, Terry Ekl.

https://www.apnews.com/c12027bf63604fa4968cd24df9afe58d/Suicide-of-teen-who-made-sex-video-shows-dilemma-for-schools?utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=AP

[MineralMan]

1. A difficult question, but I believe that parents should always be

present in such situations. Teenagers are not completely competent to make decisions that affect themselves. I do not believe that they should be confronted and questioned about a situation that could possibly be criminal in nature without a parent present. The parent should know their own child's potential behaviors better than a school official or law enforcement official.

"Scared straight" can lead to being "scared to death," as has been seen all too often.

[JI7]

3. Disagree. That would be very humiliating and even worse for some

Especially if it's their own video.

[JI7]

2. It was his own sex video ?

that should not be considered criminal at all.

Maybe they can teach about dangers of making such video by those who are young but to all students.

[sarisataka]

5. Yes and there was no image on the video

he activated it to get an audio recording of a consensual encounter

[Impeach Trump]

4. A sad story indeed.

The parents should have been called in such a serious charge if indeed the school intended to call in the authorities.

[ismnotwasm]

6. Interesting and sad

He made the video without his partners permission,which is fucked up. Absolutely the patents should have been involved here.

[Volaris]

7. I don't think the school should have said a damn thing to him without his parents there...

De facto parents maybe (as the article states). De facto law enforcement or qualified legal consul? ABSOLUTELY FUCKING NOT. call mom and dad. Have them bring an atty. THEN have a conversation with the kids.

[JI7]

9. It was his own video. They should not have said anything at all

[ismnotwasm]

10. He made it without his partners permission

They should have brought in the parents, as this can be criminal.

[NutmegYankee]

8. The problem is we bring laws into matters that should not be under laws.

This kid was told he'd be ruined for life and scorned as the worst type of person on earth (sex offender) for a stupid childish act and he felt he had no choice but to kill himself.

This should have been left to the parents.