South Shore teens facing charges for bus sex act
by Jules Crittenden and Laurel J. Sweet THE BOSTON HERALD

Two South Shore teens are facing juvenile sex charges and school discipline after they allegedly engaged in sex on a Silver Lake Regional School District bus on the way to school before Christmas.

School officials said the 15-year-old girl and the 16-year-old boy engaged in a sex act in the back of a bus, as other students looked on and reportedly cheered, as the bus drove the combined group of junior high and high school kids to school on the morning of Dec. 12.

Silver Lake High Principal Richard Kelley said, ``Some of the students reported it to middle school authorities. We investigated it, and realized that this was a matter for the police.

``Recognizing that we had minors involved and sexual activity occurred, there is no such thing as consensual sex for minors and a school bus was involved, we thought this was a matter for the police,'' Kelley said.

He and Silver Lake Middle School Principal Jeffrey LuCove said the students are being disciplined at school as well as facing police charges. They declined to discuss the disciplinary measures except to say they could include suspension, loss of bus privileges and counseling. They said they did not know the precise police charges.

Bridget Norton Middleton, spokeswoman for Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz, said no details of the case or the charges would be released because the case involves juveniles.

Kingston police Lt. David Griffiths told the Patriot Ledger of Quincy that a 15-year-old female junior high school student engaged in oral sex with a 16-year-old male high school student as three students cheered. School officials reported the incident to police the same day. Griffiths said all students involved, including those who cheered, will be charged within a week or two.

``We're not exactly sure what we're charging them with,'' he told the newspaper.

At the high school yesterday, students said the two students involved are not a couple, but that they had heard the girl was dared by her friends to perform the act, while the boy allowed her to do it.

``It's disgusting,'' said one high school girl. ``It puts a bad name on our school.''

Another girl, Megan Woodbury, said, ``It just shows that they don't have too much self-respect.''

Others reacted with amusement.

``It sounds like two people did something stupid,'' said Ethan Toronto-Kent.

Kelley said while school officials had hoped to keep the matter private, with the publicity now surrounding the case, they will consider whether to actively address the matter with the student body.

LuCove noted that sexual responsibility is addressed in the health curriculum.

``The curriculum deals with making choices, not being pressured by your peers,'' LuCove said.