No mention of a sexting incident at Tamaqua Area High School was made by the school board at Tuesday's meeting, nor was it brought up by the few parents who attended the board's committee meetings earlier in the evening.

Approached after the meeting, Superintendent Carol Makuta said that on March 2, district administration was alerted that "inappropriate communications among students" had taken place."We have to follow commonwealth and district procedures and policies," Makuta said. "We contacted appropriate authorities to assist us, and turned over the investigation to Tamaqua Police."Makuta added that as part of the investigation, they "talked with people whose names were given to us."Since the district does not have authority to confiscate telephones or look through students' private items, Makuta said "our investigation involved hearing things, and that's what we investigated."Because we're mandated reporters and were uncertain what was communicated to the students, we turned the investigation over to the police," she said. "It's our understanding that what was occurring took place off school property, but the information about it was brought into the school."In a statement Tuesday morning, borough police Chief Rick Weaver said that there "was not enough probable cause to result in charges" in the investigation over alleged sexting at the school."On March 2, Tamaqua Police were dispatched to the Tamaqua Senior High School in reference to a student being in possession of nude photos of fellow students," Weaver said."An investigation was conducted into these allegations and the result is that there was not enough probable cause to result in charges being filed on the student in question. Tamaqua Police acknowledge that this type of behavior does exist, as it probably does in other school districts. We would like to take this opportunity to warn any student that, If probable cause is established that they are in possession of these types of photos, send these types of photos to others, or take photos of themselves and forward it to others, they will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."Sexting is a crime if either the sender or recipient is under the age of 18.The school district has its own disciplinary code and a zero-tolerance policy. If the investigation finds that policy has been violated, including using a cellphone during school hours, those involved could face suspension or expulsion.