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HS Student Arrested for Facebook Sex List

By Cynthia Hsu, Esq. on May 13, 2011 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

A student at Oak Park River Forest High School in Illinois was arrested earlier this week for allegedly making a Facebook sex list.

The offensive list contained the names of approximately 50 female Oak Park River Forest High School students, and detailed their sexual behaviors, sexual characteristics and physical appearance. The list contained both explicit and derogatory language.

The Facebook sex list gained the attention of school officials and students in January. Not only was the list posted online on Facebook, but it was also distributed in paper form to students during their lunch break until school officials caught wind of the situation, reports Chicago Sun-Times.

The student, 17, remains unnamed. He was expelled from Oak Park River Forest High in February, and is now attending an alternative high school in Englewood, according to the Sun-Times.

Police, after investigating the creation of the Facebook list, arrested the former student on charges of disorderly conduct. He is being referred over to juvenile court, and has been processed and turned over to his legal guardian, according to Chicago Sun-Times.

"This incident ... has spurred us to review and augment our communications and educational outreach to students and families about these issues as we raise awareness and reiterate expectations of respectful behavior toward all," school officials said in a statement.

Parents of targeted students were grateful for the continued investigation. "I'm gratified that the investigation continued, and that charges are being filed," Dale Jones, a father of one of the girls on the list, told the Sun-Times. Jones, however, is concerned that the disorderly conduct charges are not serious enough, as he feels the list had an impact on many students.

In most jurisdictions, legislation to protect against cyber bullying is still rare. Instances of cyber bullying can fit under other statutes like criminal harassment, which can bring severe charges such as felonies for bullies.

Schools like Oak Park Forest High struggling with incidents like the Facebook sex list may need to institute more policies to protect students and the prevent future incidents.

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