What started as an innocent love letter passed from a nine-year-old boy to the girl he likes in class has caused something of a scandal at a small Florida elementary school.

The fourth grader is now being threatened with charges of sexual harassment because of the note - only he doesn't know what sexual harassment is.

The letter describes the girl as 'pretty' and 'cute' and says she has 'eyes like diamonds', but other kids in the class started making fun of the boy and said that he wanted to see the girl naked.

That's when the principal was notified, and an investigation was launched at the Hillsborough district school in Tampa.

Notes now a scandal: Some love letters a nine-year-old sent his classmate saying she was 'pretty', 'cute' and had 'eyes like diamonds' has landed him in trouble, amid claims the notes count as sexual harassment

I like you: The boy's mother says the situation has been blown out of proportion, adding that her son doesn't even know what it means to sexually harass someone

The boy has not been identified, but sent at least two letters to the girl in his class that he likes

Upset: The boy's mom did not want to be identified but said her son was just being a nine-year-old

The boy's mother, who asked not to be named, is outraged over how her son has been treated.

'That's when the principal proceeded to tell me that it wasn't appropriate that he was writing the note and that if he writes another note, they are going to file sexual harassment charges on my nine-year-old,' the mom told ABC Action News.

The school district said that because the boy sent more than one letter the situation qualifies as harassment.

The district also said it discourages children passing notes because it is a distraction.

However the boy's mother said it was a harmless gesture.

'He's nine - what little kid doesn't write love notes?' the mom said.

The Hillsborough district school in Tampa, Florida, said that because there was more than one letter it was unwanted attention, and that could qualify as sexual harassment

The mother added: 'My son doesn't even know what sexual harassment means.'

A psychologist told the network that she doesn't believe the incident can be classed as harassment.

However she encouraged parents to talk to their children about boundaries.