LA Schools To Raise Awareness With 'Sexting' Education Curriculum

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com/AP) — "Sext" ed will be part of the curriculum for Los Angeles students this fall.

KNX 1070's Mark Austin Thomas reports the L.A. Unified School District will roll out a broad plan to educate students on the dangers of sharing sexually explicit photos via texting and the Internet.

Schools will get video, lesson plans and handouts for students, the Los Angeles Times reported Tuesday.

A 2011 national Pew survey found only 3 percent of teens with cellphones sent naked or near-naked photos or videos of themselves. But 21 percent of teens 14-17 said they had received them.

District Police Chief Steven Zipperman says the campaign will teach students about violations of child pornography and obscenity laws that can come with sexting along with the personal consequences.

Holly Priebe-Diaz, the District's intervention coordinator, said the effort is all about getting students to think before hitting "send."

"We don't have the exact number on how big or how widespread the problem is specific to our district, but we do know that it's a growing trend," Priebe-Diaz said. "So we want to try to get ahead of it and raise awareness for all of our students."

Jeff Temple, a Texas professor who has co-authored a sexting study, says he hopes the curriculum gives facts without exaggerating the risks of sexting, and emphasizes the importance of consent.

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