Florida School District Denies Police Were Called Over Student Kiss

FORT MYERS, Fla. – A Florida school district on Tuesday dismissed reports that an administrator called police after two 12-year-old students shared a kiss on the playground.

According to reports Monday, two female students were debating who liked a 12-year-old boy more when one of the girls walked over and kissed the boy. Lee County Sheriff's deputies were dispatched to Orange River Elementary School in Fort Myers, Fla., reportedly in response to the incident.

However, a statement issued by the school district Tuesday said authorities were "not called because one student kissed another on the cheek."

According to the statement, there was a "physical altercation" between two female students that prompted an investigation by authorities. During the investigation, a "separate, non-school related situation" was uncovered that required police and officials with the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) be contacted.

"Our school leaders are experienced enough to know that one elementary school student kissing another on the cheek is not grounds to call police," the statement said.

"This school's administration did exactly what they were supposed to do and what every parent would expect -- and demand -- they do as school leaders," it added.

Earlier reports suggested that the administrator had initially contacted DCF to report the kiss.

"They called us and said they caught two children kissing on the playground," Sgt. Stephanie Eller told Fox News Radio. "The reality is it was probably something innocent between two kids on the playground."

Eller said the deputies took a report and documented the incident, but determined no crime had been committed.

"If it had been a crime at all it would have been a simple battery," Eller said. "The battery consists of the unwanted touching of one person to another."

"At this point, it doesn't look like we have anyone who was an unwilling participant in this," she said, referring to the playground smooch.

Eller said no one was arrested and that she suspected the school was being overly cautious.

Joe Donzelli, a spokesman for Lee County Public Schools, had told the Naples News that school district employees are required to call DCF if they suspect abuse.