BAY MINETTE, Alabama — Three students have been expelled from Bay Minette Middle School for taking a pornographic movie to a classroom and showing it while their teacher’s back was turned, officials said.

One of the eighth-graders apparently brought the sexually explicit DVD to class in the past two or three weeks, according to Terry Knight, assistant superintendent for Baldwin County Public Schools.

The incident began when the students’ teacher was grading papers and working on a computer as the class watched an educational video, Knight said.

While their teacher’s back was turned, the three students slipped the DVD into the player that was showing the educational video and used a remote control to show the X-rated film on the same TV screen, Knight said.

At some point, another student informed the teacher about the incident, and the students were interviewed, according to Knight.

After an investigation by the principal, Tammie Fleming, the three students were expelled.

“It’s taken her awhile to do the investigation,” Knight said. “She had to narrow it down to the students, find out who was involved and who did what.”

Fleming could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

School officials believe one of the students brought the DVD from home but were not sure which student. Knight said neither the students nor their parents admitted to having the DVD.

The students and their parents can appeal the expulsion in writing if they hope to return to the school or apply to finish the year at an alternative school in Fairhope, according to Knight.

School officials did not contact police about the incident, Knight said.

“We’ve talked with the students, we’ve talked with the parents, we don’t know what else we can do,” Knight said. “Someone brought it, all three of them were involved in it. And all three were punished for their role in it.”

He added, “We don’t allow this sort of thing to happen. And we’re going to deal with it in a firm manner. There’s no call for that to take place.”