MMS scandal in South Africa

A 16-year-old boy is reported to have taken "inappropriate" pictures of his young woman teacher and then circulated the pictures to his friends via SMS for payment.

The principal of the Maritzburg College strongly condemned the action of the boy but contended that "boys will be boys".

MMS scandal case: IITian granted bail

The teacher, Estelle Pederson, has, however, taken a different view and is suing the school authorities and the boy for R50,000 (Rs 3.25 lakhs). In papers filed before a civil court, Pederson claimed certain images were inappropriate and constitued a gross invasion of her privacy.

She claimed the offending pupil stored the images on his cellphone and showed them to about 40 pupils at school. She said the boy further sent the pictures via the SMS in return for payment to other pupils.

Why treat kids as criminals?

She said the fact that the incident was widely reported in the press and her identity was in public knowledge, she was humiliated and degraded, and her personal and professional identity and reputation had been impaired.

The boy, who cannot be identified because of his age, has, in the meanwhile, pleaded guilty to charges of crimen injuria and has been sent for rehabilitation for first time offenders.