advertisement

Palatine police investigating explicit email sent to students

Palatine-Schaumburg High School District 211 Superintendent Dan Cates sent an email to parents Thursday addressing a "graphic and offensive image" emailed anonymously to possibly all students at Palatine and Fremd high schools Tuesday evening.

Though the "offensive nude image" was not pornographic, officials said it was inappropriate both because it was disseminated through the school district's email system and because it was sent to students.

Palatine police are investigating who sent the email.

"Our technology staff worked diligently to identify information about the email's origin and though we attempted to remove the message from the student email accounts via technical means, we were unable to do so," Cates wrote.

Principals of the two high schools sent their own emails to parents on Wednesday, urging them to remind their children to be cautious of unsolicited emails.

Anyone with information about the email is asked to contact Fremd High School Police Consultant Officer William Leyden at (847) 755-2660 or Palatine police Consultant Officer Joseph Murphy at (847) 755-1660.

Palatine police Cmdr. Mike Seebacher said the investigation began when a staff member at Fremd reported the email to Leyden.

Whenever technology has been employed by someone competent in its use, it takes some time to track down the source, Seebacher said. As such, the search for the sender of the offensive email has not yet been narrowed down.

"It's still early on in the investigation," Seebacher said.

In his email, Cates tells parents that the district is continually seeking ways to safeguard the use of technology among students and staff.

"As we move forward, I invite you to work together with us and to communicate with your son or daughter about the importance of online safety, the potential perils of unknown messages, the serious and long-lasting impact of online conduct, and the consequences that can result," Cates wrote. "Working together, we can create and safeguard remarkable learning opportunities via technology that advance and protect everyone's pursuit of personal liberties and career aspirations."

Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.