Since when is text messaging a criminal offense?

[Altalp]

Girl Arrested for Texting; Hides Phone in Butt

After the girl was caught texting by her teacher, she was requested to hand over her phone, but then refused to. Instead, the girl argued back and continued to text during her class. Frustrated at the situation, the teacher ended up calling the police, who then came to the school to question the girl. After repeated denial of ever having a phone, officer Jeffrey S. Griffin, noticed that the girl had her pant zipper undone. This lead officer Griffin to believe that the girl hid the phone in her pants.

Officer Griffin then requested for a female officer to come on location for a physical search. After a frisk down, Officer Paula Roberson retrieved a Samsung Cricket cellphone from "the buttocks area" of the girl. The girl then laughed at the situation, but was then arrested for lying to the police about not having a phone, as well as lying when the officers attempted to ask for the girl's phone number.


After examining the phone, Officer Roberson found that the girl had used the phone during class to send a text message to her dad, and the phone itself belonged to her dad.

The 14 year old girl was charged with a misdemeanor with a bail of $298 and a mandate to appear in court. The girl was not allowed to go back to school for several days, and would be charged with trespassing if she was found to be on school grounds during her suspension.

Do you think the teacher, officers and school went too far for a texting incident with a 14 year old girl? Or do you feel that justice was rightly served? Has technology gone to the point where things like SMS texting during school is considered criminal?


http://www.tomsguide.com/us/sms-text-samsung-phone,news-3492.html

[barura]

Good lord, she put he dads phone up her arse?? That's crazy! When I was in Secondary school, we weren't allowed text in class, but we were a little more subtle about it.

But to be arrested? That's insane! That's an abuse of the law if you ask me.

[sigflup]

And the teacher called the police? What?! They should of been able to control their class without police involvement. Also, the police should of told the teacher to fuck-off and not take it seriously. Who calls the police because a student is using a phone during class? Bah!

[handl3r]

this is a crock of shit. she should just be sent to the principal's office, not arrested. sms in school is not a crime.

[rbcp]

I don't have a problem with her being suspended for the whole thing, but...arrested for lying?  Since when is lying a crime?  How could lying possibly be considered a crime in any way?  I'd like to know what the official charge was because it can't be lying.

[ApprenticePhreak]

I don't have a problem with her being suspended for the whole thing, but...arrested for lying?  Since when is lying a crime?  How could lying possibly be considered a crime in any way?  I'd like to know what the official charge was because it can't be lying.

More than likely it would be obstruction of justice due to lying about possession of the telephone. Today is going to be my grumpy day.

[evilgold]

Yes lying to the cops is a crime... Its obstruction of justice or interfearing with an investigations, or some other bullshitty term that just means "lying to the cops". Thats why we have the fifth amendment, so we can withold information without lying, and even though it might be obvious why your not answering, you cant be arrested or charged for it.

Anyways funny story, but missleading title.