By Chris O’Neil
Trash Media Group | https://www.trashmediagroup.org

What began as a simple Freedom of Information request about classroom materials has uncovered a much deeper concern within the Watertown City School District — one that directly contradicts its own claims about student internet safety.

Earlier this month, Trash Media Group filed a FOIA petition seeking details about artwork shown to 7th graders in a Watertown Middle School art class. The request centered on the inclusion of controversial Keith Haring imagery — material some parents described as “highly inappropriate” for children due to its sexual themes.

When the district complied with the records request, the curriculum documents provided something unexpected: a long list of official reference links used by the art department. Among them were multiple pages from the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City.

Curious, Trash Media Group reviewed those links — and within minutes found they led directly to unfiltered museum archives. Many of these pages feature explicit and adult-themed works, including nude studies, erotic drawings, and other mature imagery by artists such as Egon Schiele, Henri Matisse, and John Coplans.

All of this material sits just a few clicks away from a 7th grader’s Chromebook, under the district’s officially approved curriculum.

This directly contradicts the district’s repeated assurances to parents that “comprehensive content filters” prevent students from accessing inappropriate websites. Either those filters were never implemented as promised, or the district’s curriculum itself is exempt from safety protocols — a major failure of oversight in both cases.

“They told us our kids were protected by filters,” one parent said after reviewing the FOIA packet. “Then we find out the district itself handed out links that bypass every safeguard.”

While it’s true that museums like MoMA and the Metropolitan Museum of Art are legitimate educational institutions, their archives are not filtered for minors. Most professional art databases include uncensored works that require adult discretion — a nuance apparently overlooked or ignored by the district when it approved its art syllabus.

This revelation raises new questions about how much scrutiny the Watertown School District applies when approving classroom resources, especially in courses dealing with visual or modern art.

Trash Media Group has now reached out to district officials for comment regarding:

• who vetted and approved the inclusion of the MoMA and similar links,

• whether these resources were reviewed for age-appropriate content, and

• what the district’s “content security system” actually blocks, if anything.

Until those questions are answered, the district’s assurances of digital safety and educational responsibility ring hollow. We will update when we recieve further answers.

By Chris O’Neil | Trash Media Group | October 12, 2025

A Rome man has been arrested and charged with raping a child under the age of 15 following an investigation by the Oneida County Child Advocacy Center (CAC).

According to Oneida County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Derrick O’Meara, who serves as Director of the CAC, the arrest stems from a report initially filed with the Rome Police Department on October 4, 2025. The report alleged sexual abuse involving a minor. Because of the nature of the complaint, the case was referred to the Child Advocacy Center for further investigation.

The investigation was led by Oneida County Sheriff’s Office Investigator Travis Kinderman, who is assigned to the CAC. Through interviews and evidence collected, investigators determined that Joseph Mickle, 39, of Rome, had subjected a female child less than 15 years old to sexual contact within the City of Rome in September 2025.

On October 11, Investigator Kinderman, assisted by OCSO Sergeant Melissa Bolton, located Mickle at a residence in the Town of Boonville. He was taken into custody without incident and charged with Rape in the Second Degree, a Class D felony under New York State Penal Law.

Following his arrest, Mickle was transported to the Kurt B. Wyman Law Enforcement Building in Oriskany for processing. He was later turned over to corrections staff at the Oneida County Correctional Facility, where he will await arraignment in Centralized Arraignment Part Court (CAP Court).

An order of protection has been requested on behalf of the victim, who is being provided with support services through the Child Advocacy Center.

The Rome Police Department’s Patrol Division and Forensic Unit assisted in the investigation.

Chief Deputy O’Meara noted that the Child Advocacy Center works in partnership with local law enforcement agencies to investigate allegations of child abuse while ensuring victims have access to comprehensive support and advocacy services.

No additional information has been released at this time. The investigation remains ongoing.

Editor’s Note:
The Oneida County Child Advocacy Center provides coordinated support to victims of child abuse and their families. Anyone who suspects a child is being abused or exploited is urged to contact local law enforcement or the New York State Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-342-3720.

TMG © 2025

https://www.trashmediagroup.org

Watertown, NY — A 7th grade Visual Arts lesson at Case Middle School, centered on the works of pop artist Keith Haring, has left students traumatized and parents outraged after reports surfaced that highly explicit and disturbing sexual content was shown to minors under coercion. The incident reportedly culminated in the teacher being removed by police in front of the class.

According to parents, students were forced to view content depicting sexual violence, self-mutilation, and other extreme sexual acts.

One parent described the ordeal: "I picked up my daughter after musical practice, and she told me everything—the explicit content, the teacher being removed by police right there in front of the class. She said the teacher forced them to browse it, yelling over and over that it was for their grade and they would fail if they didn’t. It was terrifying for them."

Another parent echoed the horror: "The teacher knew the images were not blocked and warned the students they might see inappropriate one, but did not explain what kind of images they would see."

While the lesson was framed as an exploration of Keith Haring’s work, parents and students report that the material shown was far beyond any typical curriculum, consisting of highly graphic sexual content and acts of extreme violence. Students were reportedly coerced to watch and were subjected to repeated intimidation and verbal reprimanding by the teacher.

"It actually took my son three weeks before he told me about it. Even though it wasnt every day, the repeated exposure made him very uncomfortable. He seemed unsure whether he would get in trouble for speaking up and worried that he was doing something wrong bly looking at the images, even though it was part of the assignment."

Trash Media Group has filed a FOIL request for all materials related to the lesson, including lesson plans, slide decks, communications, approvals, and the district’s policies governing instructional content and parental notification.

Police reportedly responded to the scene according to sudent accounts, although verification of officers present during the lesson is still not confirmed at the time of this article. Parents are demanding full transparency and accountability from the district, citing the serious psychological and emotional harm inflicted on the students.

This shocking event raises urgent questions about student safety, teacher oversight, and district accountability. In light of recent incidents—including a teacher last week who posted offensive, violent comments about Charlie Kirk, and ongoing reports of another teacher engaging in disturbing behavior—parents are demanding answers: who will be next exposed to this environment?

The community is calling on the Watertown City School District to take immediate responsibility, enforce stricter oversight, and ensure that students are never subjected to such traumatic experiences again. Trash Media Group will continue reporting as records are released and the investigation unfolds.

TMG © 2025