divebuddy - //from the internettywebbything.........
//North Carolina recognizes 18 as the "age of majority," or the age at which state residents are legally considered adults, as do most other states. But state laws also govern a minor's eligibility to become emancipated, give consent to medical treatment, and other legal matters.//
I entirely agree that in legal terms, the two teenagers are 'minors'.
But we have to look at this in context.
As I see it, what we have is two young people who have made a bad decision each regarding the use of the technology at their disposal.
But that's all it is - bad decision making - which is a large part of the process of growing from a child into an adult.
No-one has been harmed by their actions - including them - but the same cannot be said for the actions of the authorities, who have embarrassed them in front of their school friends, families, and total strangers nationwide.
In terms of what they have actually done, that cannot be seen as justified under any circumstances.