Teens Say "Sexting" Common - FOX 35 News Orlando

The fallout continues in Runnemede, where students, parents, and faculty are dealing a sex scandal at a high school that landed both teachers and administrators in trouble with the law.  Fox 29 spoke to several students, who say a culture of permissiveness exists not just at their school, but among their peers everywhere.

Fair or not, Triton Regional High School in Runnemede, Camden County, now has an anything-goes kind of reputation, where teachers and students have sex, and the principal turns a blind eye.  That's how the county prosecutor described it, after the arrests of three teachers and two administrators on Thursday.  The prosecutor called it a culture of permissiveness, in which at least one of the girls involved sent sexually explicit texts and photos on her cell phone.  It's called sexting.

Renae Redrow, a Triton High School student, told Fox 29 she does not "sext," but "90 percent of kids do it."  Paige McDonald, a Triton High senior, agreed.  "It's normal," McDonald insisted.  "This is the new normal.  It's 2012."  When asked if she thought it was okay, she answered quickly.  "No, I think this whole thing is pathetic, I think it's absolutely pathetic."

Pathetic, but apparently all too common, and not just at that high school.  No one on the school board of the Black Horse Pike Regional School District would talk on camera Friday.  But board member Dr. Mark Schmitz told Fox 29 by phone that he believes sexting and other inappropriate behavior is prevalent not just at Triton High, but across the country.

Fox 29 asked one recent Triton High graduate why there doesn't appear to be any shame among "sexters."  He tried to explain, saying "A lot of people ain't got many morals anymore, too much dignity.  Just kind of, some people say you only live once, f*** it."

Many parents may be unaware of the new, more sexually-explicit culture among teenagers these days.  But the old rules do still apply.  The grandmother of one student at Triton told Fox 29, "I think parents need to monitor their kids' activities."  She added, both the boy's mother and aunt are monitoring his Facebook page and his cell phone.