Parents thinking of getting their child a cell phone this year may want to think again.
A study by the National Campaign to End Teen Pregnancy says 1 in 5 teens are ‘sexting,' the practice of sending sexually explicit text messages to others.
Teachers say it's a growing trend at school that's spiraling out of control.
In 2009, a 13-year-old Florida girl sent a topless photo of herself to a boy.
What seemed like a harmless text; however, quickly turned to a nightmare.
Hope Witesell's text was not only forwarded to hundreds in her class, but to hundreds at a nearby high school as well.
The torment that followed was ultimately more than Hope could bear. She took her life 11 months later.
"It can create a lot of problems. I just think sexting is awful," said Sandy Herald, a mom in Raleigh County.
Saint Francis de Sales in Beckley is among many schools in Southern West Virginia that have adopted a no tolerance policy for cell phones at school. Still, principal Karen Wynn said she can't control what happens at home, behind closed doors.
"I think you need to monitor it. You need to know who they're calling, what text messages they're sending. The pictures they're posting, it's really for their own safety that you're looking over what they're doing," adds Wynn.
Wynn said parents can monitor their kids' activities by checking their cell phones everyday, knowing who their friends are, and paying close attention any changes in behavior.
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