Welcome to the Texas School Safety Center’s (TxSSC’s) Before You Text: Bullying and Sexting Course. This course may be used in part or in its entirety as an educational tool. There is also an accompanying test to demonstrate successful completion of this course. Upon answering 80% or more of the test questions correctly a certificate of successful completion is available for printing. This course addresses bullying and sexting, and addresses the legal, social, emotional, educational, and career impact of these activities. Due to the content of this course, this course is recommended only for those 12 years of age and older.

Introduction

Concerns regarding sexting (defined as the act of sending sexually explicit messages, photographs, or videos) began to emerge in 2009 as the media started highlighting possible long-term consequences. In 2011, the Texas School Safety Center created their first online course on the topic of sexting. Since technology has evolved it has become apparent that bullying and harassment can be both a cause and an effect of sexting. This online course has been updated to reflect the current culture, concerns, technology, laws, crimes, and individuals involved.