COLUMBUS (WCMH) — Columbus parents are shocked and disgusted by a video posted to social media that appears to show a girl performing oral sex on a boy during class at South High School.
“When I first saw it, I really couldn’t believe it,” Leslie Robinson said. “This is really happening in a classroom, in the city I live in, down the street.”
Robinson first saw the video posted in a Facebook group earlier this week. She said the video was shocking. Her daughter, a seventh-grader, would have attended South High this year, but Robinson sent her to a different school instead.
“When I realized, I’m like, ‘Oh my God, my daughter was going to go there,’” Robinson said. “I was so glad I sent her to another school, cause it’s easy for younger kids to get caught up in stuff.”
The video was taken in a classroom and appears to show a girl involved in a sex act with her male classmate, while other students look on and record the incident with cell phones.
The principal at South High wrote a letter to parents on Wednesday, noting that the video involved several South High students. The district said the incident happened in a classroom with a substitute teacher, who will no longer be allowed to substitute for the district.
“You need to be aware, especially when children are involved,” Robinson said. “If you’re an educator, you need to be aware of what’s going on in your class. You can’t leave your back turned for longer than five seconds.”
Robinson also expressed disappointment with the students in the video, telling them to “know your value, know your worth” and urging them to want more out of their lives. She also urged her fellow parents to keep a closer eye on what their children do with cell phones and electronics.
The district said it contacted Franklin County Children’s Services and Columbus police about the video and said that all the students involved in the incident are facing discipline.
The letter sent home to parents reads:
Dear Parents and Guardians:
As you know, my administrative team and I work very hard to ensure that our school and our South High 7-12 students represent the very best of our community. The purpose of this letter is to keep you informed of our continued efforts to ensure the safety of all students.
I learned this week of an inappropriate video posted to a social media account and shared with multiple account holders, involving several of our students during class. We have taken the appropriate actions to report the video and have requested that it be removed. I have also contacted the parents of the students involved and disciplinary action will ensue.
Please know that we take this issue very seriously. I have spoken with our students about the inappropriateness of the video and we have taken steps to make sure that situations of this nature will not occur again.
Per Board Policy, cellphones are not permitted in class during instruction time unless they are being used as part of the day’s lesson. Any cellphone being used otherwise will be confiscated and only returned to a parent/guardian.
I encourage you to have a discussion with your child about being responsible on social media, reminding them to think before they post and to:
1. Always consider that content will exist forever and be available to everyone
2. Don’t be hurtful towards others
3. Report inappropriate posts
I appreciate your partnership in helping to keep our school safe and students focused on learning.
Respectfully,
Edmund Baker
Principal
