When Jessica complained to school officials about students sending her nude photo to each other, she was referred to a police officer, who in turn told her he could only encourage students to delete her photo from their phones, but could not open a criminal investigation because she was not a minor. The police officer, Paul Payne, instead encouraged Jessica to agree to be interviewed by a local television news reporter who was doing a story on “sexting” - the act of sending nude or sexually graphic images via cell phone. Jessica agreed to discuss her situation on television with her face and voice altered to protect her identity.
After students realized Jessica had reported them to the authorities, she began being harassed with threatening phone calls and text messages, and she was labeled a “whore” and a “skank.” Her grades and attendance suffered, and Jessica almost failed to graduate from high school. Jessica managed to complete her assignments and attend her high school graduation – where she was pelted with objects by other students during the ceremony. The harassment continued after graduation and on July 3, 2008 after attending the funeral of a friend who had committed suicide, Jessica Logan – the only child of Albert and Cynthia Logan - hung herself.
Now, the Logans are suing Ryan Salyers and four of Jessica's former classmates for severe infliction of emotional distress, as well as suing the Sycamore Community School Board of Education and police officer Paul Payne for severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive harassment, and for violating Jessica's Fourteenth Amendment rights of equal protection and due process of law.
Today Art, Shaun, Jamie, and Sasha offer their opinions on where the responsibility should lie. After reading where they stand on the issue, join the conversation by leaving a comment.
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