A high school in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, issued an apology on Friday after an employee accidentally emailed sexually explicit photos to the entire student body, according to school officials.
The email, sent by an unnamed employee, contained seven sexually explicit thumbnails. School officials are asking students to stop spreading the email online.
On Friday, Principal Taryn Washington at Dr. Henry A. Wise Jr. High School in Prince George’s County sent a letter to students’ families informing them of the incident.
The letter said that an employee “inadvertently emailed a message that include sexually explicit photos to all students,” and “immediate action was taken by school administrators to retract the correspondence, however many individuals saw the photos and have since shared them with others.”
“I am asking that all students, as responsible online citizens, not share the photos by email, social media outlets or other avenues,” Washington stated.
In the letter, Washington also noted that “appropriate steps have been taken regarding the employee.” She did not specify if the worker had been disciplined or fired.
The letter did not provide details on what may have caused the mistake or when the photos were sent out to students.
“The teacher apparently tried to set a logo for the young Pharaoh’s Mentoring Academy, but at the bottom of the image there are at least seven sexually explicit thumbnails,” said a reporter for the outlet.
The teacher’s identity is currently being withheld.
Washington said the school is making mental health clinicians and professional school counselors available to for any students seeking support.
“We sincerely regret this incident,” Washington apologized in the letter.
The issue will be handled internally by Prince George’s County Public Schools.
