Cheerleaders' Nude Photos Spark Dispute

Images Making Rounds Via Text message; Parents Sue School District After The Cheerleaders Are Suspended From Squad

(CBS)  Two cheerleaders at Bothell High School, near Seattle, were suspended from the squad after school officials learned nude cell phone pictures of the girls were circulating throughout the student body, via text message.

Now, the girls' parents are suing the Northshore School District, alleging school officials acted inappropriately while reprimanding the cheerleaders and failed to go after the students who actually sent the photos. One was suspended for 30 days and the other for the whole school year.

One teen's mother, whose name CBS News is withholding because her daughter is a minor, told us, "If she had been caught taking illegal drugs twice, she would not have been punished this severely. The school has arbitrarily taken away the one thing that my daughter loves most. She will never get that back again."

The school district says it stands by its disciplinary action.

Matthew King, an attorney representing the two families, told co-anchor Maggie Rodriguez on The Early Show Tuesday the teens "admit that what they did was an incredible error in judgment. The issue is not whether or not the photos were improper. The issue is what happened after the administration learned of the photos.

"Initially, they (school officials) did not report these to the police until after one of my clients' mothers discovered the photos were floating around and contacted the police herself. In addition, they have done absolutely no investigation into who transmitted these photos, where they came from, how many people had them, those kinds of things."

School administrators say they gave both girls a chance to appeal their discipline to the school board and the disciplinary committee and "everybody across the board thought it was the right thing to do," Rodriguez pointed out.

"Again," King responded, "it's not the issue of the discipline of the girls necessarily as much as it is the lack of discipline. There is an implied 'boys will be boys' sort of mentality here, where none of the boys who had these photos on their phones were ever punished. That's a problem, we feel."

King concedes that, "The student code of the conduct does say that athletes are held to a higher standard. The problem that we have -- one of my clients took the photo back when she was 13, before she even was a student at the school and the photo, unfortunately, has been following her around from grade level to grade level. As a result, I find it difficult to believe she can be punished for something violating a code of conduct that she simply had no knowledge of until after she got into high school."

His clients, King added, "certainly know this is an inappropriate thing to do. They know that, even though it may sounds like a fun and sort of frivolous idea, it can have serious impacts for the rest of their lives."

King says the families aren't seeking monetary damages, but want the record corrected. "They do not want this to affect college admission," he told CBS News, "and they are asking for school district to apologize for the improper way investigation was handled. They also want the legal fees paid for."

[rixmix98]

One teen''s mother, whose name CBS News is withholding because her daughter is a minor, told us, "If she had been caught taking illegal drugs twice, she would not have been punished this severely. The school has arbitrarily taken away the one thing that my daughter loves most. She will never get that back again."




Good grief mom, your daughter is a tramp.

[cbsnews53]

What''s more disturbing?

The fact that a 13 year was taking nude pics of herself for fun...

or the fact that high school age boys are interested in viewing a 13 year old nude?

[notopennshut]

These *** girls should have been expelled from school! What kind of parents do these girls have, that they did not realize the consequences of what they had done? Talk with other teenage girls, and you would know that this is how they want to make themselves popular. If the parents have any ethics themselves, they would have grounded their daughter like forever, instead of going after the school. The parents have not brought their kids up in the right way and are now trying to blame others for their own lapse. As Obama has often said, you cannot depend on the school alone to raise your kids for you, you yourself must accept some responsibility as parents. When you shirk this responsibility, this is what your kids will turn out - ***.

[generey]

Well gee mummy watcha gonna do?...buy her a car to make her feel better???? Tooooooo much.

[aggie756]

The problem with our society today is that nobody wants to take responsibility for their own actions. The Cheerleaders should not have been suspended,they should have been taken off the squad all together. If their position was so precious to them they should protect it a little better. And as far as who all has the pictures, nobody would if they hadn''t shared them to start with!

[briannorwood]

Daddy''s little ***.

[antoniof123]

I guess the real question is well there is not real question.

I REALLY DON''T CARE ABOUT THESE KIDS MINE ARE GROWN UP AND ARE DOING WELL FOR THEMSELVES.

Have a nice day beat the parents and put the kids in military school.

[hsinco-2009]

I am shocked they were not expelled. Had it been a christian school, they certianly would have. The parents should be grateful to the school and teach their daughters that having nude pictures taken of themselves is the first step of becoming a lady of the evening.

Posted by mrs_premise at 09:13 AM : Dec 09, 2008

Do you have any photos of your kids in the bathtub or anything? Maybe that will make them "Ladies of the Evening"!

Too funny!

[jewright1965]

This is way cell phones should be band from all schools. Someone give me a reason why a high school student needs to have a cell phone with them while in school.

[resqdiver4]

I am shocked they were not expelled. Had it been a christian school, they certianly would have. The parents should be grateful to the school and teach their daughters that having nude pictures taken of themselves is the first step of becoming a lady of the evening.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by mrs_premise at 09:13 AM : Dec 09, 2008


Well I can tell you this, my step-daughter and a friend of hers was accused, repeat accused of spreading a story about using vegtables in an unusual manner by some boys at her Catholic School and the only thing that happened was the girls got reprimandeded but the boys got NOTHING, I say again NOTHING for their part in spreading this malicious rumor around the school. Why might you ask, well maybe because the boy who started this whole thing was the son of the football coach and he is a BIG financial supporter of the school. Then his wonderful kid spread it to my daughters new high school last year and made her first year there miserable. I say throw them all out of school or none of them, stop playing favorites with the boys!

[earache4]

Was that Bothell High School...or Brothell High School?

[earache4]

What is the Brothell High School mascot...the fighting ***?

[earache4]

Ooops, can''t say s k a n k s.

[loublain]

if as alledged one girl was not in high school when the picture was taken, the school does not have jurisdiction to take any action. however the boys possession of child porn is a felony!! and can result in registration as a class 2 *** offender for 25 years. if you want to end the distribution of this kind of material punish the distributors and possessors.

[mygramma]

"I am shocked they were not expelled. Had it been a christian school, they certianly would have. The parents should be grateful to the school and teach their daughters that having nude pictures taken of themselves is the first step of becoming a lady of the evening."

Posted by mrs_premise at 09:13 AM : Dec 09, 2008

mrs. premise, you are a raving idiot. What these administrators did to thees two girls is way, way out of line. The management of the situation is totally incompetent. I was a public school administrator for two decades and it would never occur to me or any other administrator I know to handle a situation like this the way these morons did.

[angiebabys]

This is a perfect example of what us as parents can over look with our children..Children should not have a cell phone in school and should be limited to what their cell phone can do.Like watching our children with what they do and watch on the internet or TV, a cell phone should be the same..I agree with the comments on child porn that someone has their hands on such a picture and passing it around,where is there discipline?? I raised two daughters and had to deal with the discrimination from them being female.I totally agree with the fact that these young boys should be taught NOW that what they are doing with these pictures IS against the law as well.There should have been something done to all involved with this issue.Someones parents are not teaching the children the proper behavior expected out of them for their lives. boys and girls alike.

[angiebabys]

This is a perfect example of what us as parents can over look with our children..Children should not have a cell phone in school and should be limited to what their cell phone can do.Like watching our children with what they do and watch on the internet or TV, a cell phone should be the same..I agree with the comments on child porn that someone has their hands on such a picture and passing it around,where is there discipline?? I raised two daughters and had to deal with the discrimination from them being female.I totally agree with the fact that these young boys should be taught NOW that what they are doing with these pictures IS against the law as well.There should have been something done to all involved with this issue.Someones parents are not teaching the children the proper behavior expected out of them for their lives. boys and girls alike.

[earache4]

AMERICA Land of the lawyer and home of the law suite..
Ugh..
Posted by you_fools at 10:33 AM

Hey, (Ugh..) That''s a copywrite infringment!!!

[leeanna58]

Hm, nude photos of a 13 year old girl with rightous up-standing parents whose daughter had no fault. That photo must have been taken with a telephoto lense from a tree across the street from the up-stairs bathroom window. How else could an innocent 13 year old have been photographed nude?

[accfan4eva]

When will parents stop fighting their kid''s battles?? In my day, you were told that once you made the mistake, you must pay the price... regardless of what that price would be. This is why kids today have no respect for authority...nor themselves. Mommy and Daddy will bail them out of anything. If you have a baby, they will raise it for you. Commit a crime and go to jail, they will sue for poor prison conditions. Get intoxicated, choose to get behind the wheel and have an accident... sue the person or establishment that provided the alcohol.

These parents wonder why their children never grow up and stop making poor choices... maybe because you are offering the most ridiculous bailouts of all... and those would be "moral" bailouts.

[angiebabys]

This is a perfect example of what us as parents can over look with our children..Children should not have a cell phone in school and should be limited to what their cell phone can do.Like watching our children with what they do and watch on the internet or TV, a cell phone should be the same..I agree with the comments on child porn that someone has their hands on such a picture and passing it around,where is there discipline?? I raised two daughters and had to deal with the discrimination from them being female.I totally agree with the fact that these young boys should be taught NOW that what they are doing with these pictures IS against the law as well.There should have been something done to all involved with this issue.Someones parents are not teaching the children the proper behavior expected out of them for their lives. boys and girls alike.

[bhrater-2009]

The students who had the pictures should have had texting removed form their phone plans, and detention.
If it is true that the picture was taken before the girl was a cheerleader, it is sad but she can''t be on the team after being so stupid.
She should be allowed to continue to study and her record should be adjusted accordingly.
Kids will be stupid, punishment should be appropriate, but as the web and texting and pictures become more prevalent. This kind of stupidity is going to happen again. Schools and parents need to be ready with the appropriate punishment.

[angiebabys]

This is a perfect example of what us as parents can over look with our children..Children should not have a cell phone in school and should be limited to what their cell phone can do.Like watching our children with what they do and watch on the internet or TV, a cell phone should be the same..I agree with the comments on child porn that someone has their hands on such a picture and passing it around,where is there discipline?? I raised two daughters and had to deal with the discrimination from them being female.I totally agree with the fact that these young boys should be taught NOW that what they are doing with these pictures IS against the law as well.There should have been something done to all involved with this issue.Someones parents are not teaching the children the proper behavior expected out of them for their lives. boys and girls alike.

[angiebabys]

This is a perfect example of what us as parents can over look with our children..Children should not have a cell phone in school and should be limited to what their cell phone can do.Like watching our children with what they do and watch on the internet or TV, a cell phone should be the same..I agree with the comments on child porn that someone has their hands on such a picture and passing it around,where is there discipline?? I raised two daughters and had to deal with the discrimination from them being female.I totally agree with the fact that these young boys should be taught NOW that what they are doing with these pictures IS against the law as well.There should have been something done to all involved with this issue.Someones parents are not teaching the children the proper behavior expected out of them for their lives. boys and girls alike.

[angiebabys]

This is a perfect example of what us as parents can over look with our children..Children should not have a cell phone in school and should be limited to what their cell phone can do.Like watching our children with what they do and watch on the internet or TV, a cell phone should be the same..I agree with the comments on child porn that someone has their hands on such a picture and passing it around,where is there discipline?? I raised two daughters and had to deal with the discrimination from them being female.I totally agree with the fact that these young boys should be taught NOW that what they are doing with these pictures IS against the law as well.There should have been something done to all involved with this issue.Someones parents are not teaching the children the proper behavior expected out of them for their lives. boys and girls alike.

[angiebabys]

This is a perfect example of what us as parents can over look with our children..Children should not have a cell phone in school and should be limited to what their cell phone can do.Like watching our children with what they do and watch on the internet or TV, a cell phone should be the same..I agree with the comments on child porn that someone has their hands on such a picture and passing it around,where is there discipline?? I raised two daughters and had to deal with the discrimination from them being female.I totally agree with the fact that these young boys should be taught NOW that what they are doing with these pictures IS against the law as well.There should have been something done to all involved with this issue.Someones parents are not teaching the children the proper behavior expected out of them for their lives. boys and girls alike.

[earache4]

Give me an "S". Give me a "K". Give me an "A". Give me a "N". Give me another "K"....goooOOOOOO S K A N K S!!!!!

[angiebabys]

This is a perfect example of what us as parents can over look with our children..Children should not have a cell phone in school and should be limited to what their cell phone can do.Like watching our children with what they do and watch on the internet or TV, a cell phone should be the same..I agree with the comments on child porn that someone has their hands on such a picture and passing it around,where is there discipline?? I raised two daughters and had to deal with the discrimination from them being female.I totally agree with the fact that these young boys should be taught NOW that what they are doing with these pictures IS against the law as well.There should have been something done to all involved with this issue.Someones parents are not teaching the children the proper behavior expected out of them for their lives. boys and girls alike.

[angiebabys]

This is a perfect example of what us as parents can over look with our children..Children should not have a cell phone in school and should be limited to what their cell phone can do.Like watching our children with what they do and watch on the internet or TV, a cell phone should be the same..I agree with the comments on child porn that someone has their hands on such a picture and passing it around,where is there discipline?? I raised two daughters and had to deal with the discrimination from them being female.I totally agree with the fact that these young boys should be taught NOW that what they are doing with these pictures IS against the law as well.There should have been something done to all involved with this issue.Someones parents are not teaching the children the proper behavior expected out of them for their lives. boys and girls alike.

[peter776-2009]

"This is a perfect example of what us as parents can over look with our children." SOME PARENTS NEED TO LEARN BASIC ENGLISH GRAMMAR. Is it any wonder why the latest generation of students is so poorly educated and functionally illiterate?

[angiebabys]

This is a perfect example of what us as parents can over look with our children..Children should not have a cell phone in school and should be limited to what their cell phone can do.Like watching our children with what they do and watch on the internet or TV, a cell phone should be the same..I agree with the comments on child porn that someone has their hands on such a picture and passing it around,where is there discipline?? I raised two daughters and had to deal with the discrimination from them being female.I totally agree with the fact that these young boys should be taught NOW that what they are doing with these pictures IS against the law as well.There should have been something done to all involved with this issue.Someones parents are not teaching the children the proper behavior expected out of them for their lives. boys and girls alike.

[angiebabys]

This is a perfect example of what us as parents can over look with our children..Children should not have a cell phone in school and should be limited to what their cell phone can do.Like watching our children with what they do and watch on the internet or TV, a cell phone should be the same..I agree with the comments on child porn that someone has their hands on such a picture and passing it around,where is there discipline?? I raised two daughters and had to deal with the discrimination from them being female.I totally agree with the fact that these young boys should be taught NOW that what they are doing with these pictures IS against the law as well.There should have been something done to all involved with this issue.Someones parents are not teaching the children the proper behavior expected out of them for their lives. boys and girls alike.

[algwriter]

This is called a double-standard. Punish the girls and pat the boys on the back. The people who distributed the images broke the law, not the girls, yet it is the girls who are punished. Did they do something stupid? Yep, but not illegal. What is the school going to do about the people who distributed the images? Nothing? Anything?

[angiebabys]

This is a perfect example of what us as parents can over look with our children..Children should not have a cell phone in school and should be limited to what their cell phone can do.Like watching our children with what they do and watch on the internet or TV, a cell phone should be the same..I agree with the comments on child porn that someone has their hands on such a picture and passing it around,where is there discipline?? I raised two daughters and had to deal with the discrimination from them being female.I totally agree with the fact that these young boys should be taught NOW that what they are doing with these pictures IS against the law as well.There should have been something done to all involved with this issue.Someones parents are not teaching the children the proper behavior expected out of them for their lives. boys and girls alike.

[angiebabys]

This is a perfect example of what us as parents can over look with our children..Children should not have a cell phone in school and should be limited to what their cell phone can do.Like watching our children with what they do and watch on the internet or TV, a cell phone should be the same..I agree with the comments on child porn that someone has their hands on such a picture and passing it around,where is there discipline?? I raised two daughters and had to deal with the discrimination from them being female.I totally agree with the fact that these young boys should be taught NOW that what they are doing with these pictures IS against the law as well.There should have been something done to all involved with this issue.Someones parents are not teaching the children the proper behavior expected out of them for their lives. boys and girls alike.

[angiebabys]

This is a perfect example of what us as parents can over look with our children..Children should not have a cell phone in school and should be limited to what their cell phone can do.Like watching our children with what they do and watch on the internet or TV, a cell phone should be the same..I agree with the comments on child porn that someone has their hands on such a picture and passing it around,where is there discipline?? I raised two daughters and had to deal with the discrimination from them being female.I totally agree with the fact that these young boys should be taught NOW that what they are doing with these pictures IS against the law as well.There should have been something done to all involved with this issue.Someones parents are not teaching the children the proper behavior expected out of them for their lives. boys and girls alike.

[angiebabys]

This is a perfect example of what us as parents can over look with our children..Children should not have a cell phone in school and should be limited to what their cell phone can do.Like watching our children with what they do and watch on the internet or TV, a cell phone should be the same..I agree with the comments on child porn that someone has their hands on such a picture and passing it around,where is there discipline?? I raised two daughters and had to deal with the discrimination from them being female.I totally agree with the fact that these young boys should be taught NOW that what they are doing with these pictures IS against the law as well.There should have been something done to all involved with this issue.Someones parents are not teaching the children the proper behavior expected out of them for their lives. boys and girls alike.

[angiebabys]

This is a perfect example of what us as parents can over look with our children..Children should not have a cell phone in school and should be limited to what their cell phone can do.Like watching our children with what they do and watch on the internet or TV, a cell phone should be the same..I agree with the comments on child porn that someone has their hands on such a picture and passing it around,where is there discipline?? I raised two daughters and had to deal with the discrimination from them being female.I totally agree with the fact that these young boys should be taught NOW that what they are doing with these pictures IS against the law as well.There should have been something done to all involved with this issue.Someones parents are not teaching the children the proper behavior expected out of them for their lives. boys and girls alike.

[easeup-2009]

Posted by angiebabys at 11:03 AM : Dec 09, 2008

A perfect example of someone who needs supervision when on the computer.

[angiebabys]

This is a perfect example of what us as parents can over look with our children..Children should not have a cell phone in school and should be limited to what their cell phone can do.Like watching our children with what they do and watch on the internet or TV, a cell phone should be the same..I agree with the comments on child porn that someone has their hands on such a picture and passing it around,where is there discipline?? I raised two daughters and had to deal with the discrimination from them being female.I totally agree with the fact that these young boys should be taught NOW that what they are doing with these pictures IS against the law as well.There should have been something done to all involved with this issue.Someones parents are not teaching the children the proper behavior expected out of them for their lives. boys and girls alike.

[angiebabys]

This is a perfect example of what us as parents can over look with our children..Children should not have a cell phone in school and should be limited to what their cell phone can do.Like watching our children with what they do and watch on the internet or TV, a cell phone should be the same..I agree with the comments on child porn that someone has their hands on such a picture and passing it around,where is there discipline?? I raised two daughters and had to deal with the discrimination from them being female.I totally agree with the fact that these young boys should be taught NOW that what they are doing with these pictures IS against the law as well.There should have been something done to all involved with this issue.Someones parents are not teaching the children the proper behavior expected out of them for their lives. boys and girls alike.

[angiebabys]

This is a perfect example of what us as parents can over look with our children..Children should not have a cell phone in school and should be limited to what their cell phone can do.Like watching our children with what they do and watch on the internet or TV, a cell phone should be the same..I agree with the comments on child porn that someone has their hands on such a picture and passing it around,where is there discipline?? I raised two daughters and had to deal with the discrimination from them being female.I totally agree with the fact that these young boys should be taught NOW that what they are doing with these pictures IS against the law as well.There should have been something done to all involved with this issue.Someones parents are not teaching the children the proper behavior expected out of them for their lives. boys and girls alike.

[angiebabys]

This is a perfect example of what us as parents can over look with our children..Children should not have a cell phone in school and should be limited to what their cell phone can do.Like watching our children with what they do and watch on the internet or TV, a cell phone should be the same..I agree with the comments on child porn that someone has their hands on such a picture and passing it around,where is there discipline?? I raised two daughters and had to deal with the discrimination from them being female.I totally agree with the fact that these young boys should be taught NOW that what they are doing with these pictures IS against the law as well.There should have been something done to all involved with this issue.Someones parents are not teaching the children the proper behavior expected out of them for their lives. boys and girls alike.

[angiebabys]

This is a perfect example of what us as parents can over look with our children..Children should not have a cell phone in school and should be limited to what their cell phone can do.Like watching our children with what they do and watch on the internet or TV, a cell phone should be the same..I agree with the comments on child porn that someone has their hands on such a picture and passing it around,where is there discipline?? I raised two daughters and had to deal with the discrimination from them being female.I totally agree with the fact that these young boys should be taught NOW that what they are doing with these pictures IS against the law as well.There should have been something done to all involved with this issue.Someones parents are not teaching the children the proper behavior expected out of them for their lives. boys and girls alike.

[drputt45]

Hey angiebabys, I''ve told you a million times not to exaggerate!

[angiebabys]

This is a perfect example of what us as parents can over look with our children..Children should not have a cell phone in school and should be limited to what their cell phone can do.Like watching our children with what they do and watch on the internet or TV, a cell phone should be the same..I agree with the comments on child porn that someone has their hands on such a picture and passing it around,where is there discipline?? I raised two daughters and had to deal with the discrimination from them being female.I totally agree with the fact that these young boys should be taught NOW that what they are doing with these pictures IS against the law as well.There should have been something done to all involved with this issue.Someones parents are not teaching the children the proper behavior expected out of them for their lives. boys and girls alike.

[angiebabys]

This is a perfect example of what us as parents can over look with our children..Children should not have a cell phone in school and should be limited to what their cell phone can do.Like watching our children with what they do and watch on the internet or TV, a cell phone should be the same..I agree with the comments on child porn that someone has their hands on such a picture and passing it around,where is there discipline?? I raised two daughters and had to deal with the discrimination from them being female.I totally agree with the fact that these young boys should be taught NOW that what they are doing with these pictures IS against the law as well.There should have been something done to all involved with this issue.Someones parents are not teaching the children the proper behavior expected out of them for their lives. boys and girls alike.

[govwatch-2009]

Let''s review the facts: These are pictures of a nude minor, i.e. child pornography. The school board (adults, and not law enforcement officials) made copies and passed them out to fellow school board members. Regardless of their intent, isn''t this illegal?

[angiebabys]

This is a perfect example of what us as parents can over look with our children..Children should not have a cell phone in school and should be limited to what their cell phone can do.Like watching our children with what they do and watch on the internet or TV, a cell phone should be the same..I agree with the comments on child porn that someone has their hands on such a picture and passing it around,where is there discipline?? I raised two daughters and had to deal with the discrimination from them being female.I totally agree with the fact that these young boys should be taught NOW that what they are doing with these pictures IS against the law as well.There should have been something done to all involved with this issue.Someones parents are not teaching the children the proper behavior expected out of them for their lives. boys and girls alike.

[lovegetpeace]

Posted by angiebabys at 11:22 AM : Dec 09, 2008

Sorry, Mon and Dad are too busy working hard to beat the neighbors whom have a new car in their driveway. When they get home, they watch some Entertainment on TV/Cable to cool down the stress. There is just no time for playing with the kids.