Charles Co. schools investigating inappropriate posts on Zoom platform

Charles County school officials are investigating inappropriate student posts on Zoom, weeks after the Maryland school district started its new year with virtual learning.

The public school system is the latest to report a problem with students posting inappropriate materials. In a letter to the Charles County community on Monday, Superintendent Kimberly Hill said her district is working with Zoom to turn off features that allow students to chat on the platform outside of virtual classes.

“Charles County Public Schools and the Charles County Sheriff’s Office are investigating inappropriate posts in Zoom, created by CCPS students today as a chat invitation outside of authorized classes,” Hill wrote.

“The same technology rules that are in effect when students are in school also apply to virtual learning and any accounts provided by Charles County Public Schools.”

Students identified as the ones who created or shared the chat, or posted inappropriate messages and pictures, will face disciplinary action potentially including suspension, she added.

The county’s first day of classes on Aug. 31 saw many students unable to log in after trouble with the online student learning system.

Across the Potomac, Loudoun County, Virginia’s first week of online instruction was interrupted by incidents of students using racial slurs, displaying sexual images or accessing virtual sessions of other classes or schools. Neighboring Fairfax County recently said it learned that ransomware was placed on some of its technology systems.


More Coronavirus news

Looking for more information? D.C., Maryland and Virginia are each releasing more data every day. Visit their official sites here: Virginia | Maryland | D.C.


Abigail Constantino

Abigail Constantino started her journalism career writing for a local newspaper in Fairfax County, Virginia. She is a graduate of American University and The George Washington University.

Federal News Network Logo
Log in to your WTOP account for notifications and alerts customized for you.

Sign up