'Twerking' video gets dozens of San Diego high school students suspended

A 'twerking' video made by San Diego high school students got dozens of them suspended for violating sexual harassment policy.

Three students from Scripps Ranch High School introduce the Scripps

Screenshot via YouTube

May 3, 2013

Dozens of students at a San Diego high school were suspended this week for making a suggestive "twerking" dance video.

U-T San Diego reports students Scripps Ranch High School might not be able to attend prom and six seniors may not be able to walk during commencement ceremonies.

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School board member Kevin Beiser says he was told that 31 students were suspended. Other reports say 33 students – 28 girls and 3 boys –  were suspended this week, including the student who shot the video.

The video was shot and edited on school property. It shows students doing the hip-shaking moves of twerking.

ABC News quoted one student's Wednesday tweet: “So many people are suspended in my 6th period class. Its [sic] only me, three girls and about 10 guys.”

Lyston McNear, 17, says he was suspended for coming up with the original idea for the video. He says it took months to create and nobody seemed offended.

The students – 28 girls and 3 boys – were suspended from Scripps Ranch Tuesday less than a week after the video appeared on YouTube.

Six of the students are seniors and face the possibility of not being allowed to attend prom or walk during commencement ceremonies.

Parents and students said the students were told not to return to school until Friday.

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U-T San Diego said the video "apparently violates the school’s sexual harassment policy that prohibits verbal, visual, or physical conduct of a sexual nature," and the newspaper confirmed school equipment was used by students in a broadcast journalism class to make the video.