ROCK SPRINGS — Sweetwater County School District No. 1 says an incident involving a nude photo that occurred earlier this month at Rock Springs High School is being addressed internally and isn’t considered a public issue.
According to Cowboy State Daily, a special education teacher at the high school accidentally showed students a nude photograph of herself during a class discussion when connecting her phone to a laptop projector. Parents and guardians speaking to the publication reported having issues with the district’s response to the incident.
Assistant Superintendent Nicole Bolton said the district wouldn’t be commenting on the issue, saying it is aware of the incident and that it’s being handled internally.
“Sweetwater County School District No. 1 is aware of the situation and it is being handled by the district’s Human Resources Department,” Bolton wrote in an email to SweetwaterNOW. “Because this involves a personnel issue and student privacy, the district cannot and will not provide further comment. Sweetwater School District No. 1 is committed to treating all individuals with respect and dignity throughout any investigative process. In order to protect the privacy of those involved, this matter is being addressed internally and is not considered a public issue.”
Bolton said the district always conducts investigations to learn the details of an incident and allow for due process. She said the district also communicates with parents when a situation involves a student.
“It is essential to get all sides of a story, witness accounts, along with pulling any digital data if relevant,” she said.
Bolton said the district doesn’t have a specific policy about staff members connecting personal devices to district equipment, though doing so isn’t encouraged or recommend as the district provides “all devices and equipment necessary for instructional purposes.”
When asked if the incident could lead to possible criminal charges, Sweetwater County Attorney Daniel Erramouspe said there wasn’t a crime being committed in this situation.
“In order for it to be a crime, you need to intend to do it or knowingly do it,” he told SweetwaterNOW.
