Do I go to the police on this? / Something Else...

[Tjsmith9000]

What is the name of your state? Arizona

Some top school officials at my school claimed to have "dodged a bullet" (direct quote from admin!) after a video of two students engaging in a sexual act in class was shared abroad on social media. Once the two students were caught or something like that, all that happened was they were suspended, and admin did not report the video at all to local law enforcement. AZ IS A MANDATORY REPORTING STATE. Once the fiasco was "over," a school admin said they "dodged a bullet." Should I go through with reporting this? This is... it's an embarrassment.

Also, school is firing really good teachers to make us look like a "failing school" to get a SIG. Is this a form of, i don't know the word, maybe "fraud" will work for now? This is just a really bad administration and I am so sorry to have to post this to this forum. It really is no place for this but I'm at my last wits here as no one is doing anything about these awful things.

 

[justalayman]

Were the students minors?

Was this an actual act of sex or was it something simulated?

Additionally, depending on the age of the kids, the sexual act may not have even been a crime



F. It is a defense to a prosecution pursuant to §§ 13-1405 and 13-3560 if the victim is fifteen, sixteen or seventeen years of age, the defendant is under nineteen years of age or attending high school and is no more than twenty-four months older than the victim and the conduct is consensual.


Now, distributing child pornography is a crime so whoever distributed it, if the participants are minors, would be guilty of possessing and distributing child pornography. You can sursly report that activity if you so choose.

 

[TigerD]

If you are a mandatory reporter and you have failed to report it, you have already violated the law and endangered your license. On the other hand, if you file the report and you were not required to, you will have created a controversy that may result in your termination. Now, since you stated they are firing the really good teachers, you are either no longer employed, or the most honest self-appraiser I've heard from in a long time.

So where do you go from here? Report it, don't report it. It is your conscience and nothing we say is going to make a difference.

TD

 

[Tjsmith9000]

I am a student. I did not witness this. But no one is doing anything about this -- and to answer your question: yes, they were minors. My question now is should I report the teachers and staff that witnessed and allowed for this to happen or...? I'm lost here and I'm tired of letting this just sit.

 

[quincy]

I am a student. I did not witness this. But no one is doing anything about this -- and to answer your question: yes, they were minors. My question now is should I report the teachers and staff that witnessed and allowed for this to happen or...? I'm lost here and I'm tired of letting this just sit.

You can report what you know to the police. The police will investigate.

There is little else you can do.

 

[xylene]

I did not witness this.

There is a word for this: RUMOR.

You heard a rumor.

 

[CdwJava]

Further, as a student you have no idea whether or not the police have been notified. So, to recap, you heard a RUMOR that may or may not have been a crime and may or may not have been reported to the police. You are certainly free to report what you have heard, and who you heard it from, to the local police. But, keep in mind that you may never know what may come of any investigation as they will NOT be telling you what - if anything - they might do in this situation.

 

[RJR]

Carl, he said the video was shared on social media, so if it exists, let it be produced. The problem is he has not seen it, so let him do so, otherwise, as you say, it is UNcredible Hearsay.

 

[CdwJava]

He said it had been shared, but not that he had seen it. And, even if he had, that's not necessarily proof that any crime occurred - much less one that triggers mandated reporting. There are a number of legal hurdles in trying to pursue criminal charges solely with videos from snapchat, FB, youtube and even porn sites.

 

[quincy]

The comment that the video was "shared abroad on social media" is interesting. And a bit puzzling.