Students and advocates demand full investigation after AI-generated exploitation at Isabelle Middle School

Dozens of students and a community organizer told the Santa Paula Unified School District Board that the district’s response to reports of AI-generated exploitation and unauthorized recordings at Isabelle Middle School has been insufficient and has left victims anxious and afraid.

"Students have described feeling anxious, distracted, and unsafe at school," said Iglali Salgado, an organizer with CAUSE who told the board the harm has circulated on social media since February. "We want a full and thorough investigation. We want clear district policies around AI misuse and unauthorized recordings, safety protocols for locker rooms and athletic spaces, and counseling support for the impacted students." (Iglali Salgado, public comment)

Multiple students said the disciplinary response — three-day suspensions for the accused — was too light for harms they described as criminal in nature. "I am beyond disgusted that these students only got a three-day suspension," said Alexa Flores, a Santa Paula High School senior who said she was speaking for peers who are afraid to come forward. "This incident happened during school hours, which is outrageous." (Alexa Flores, public comment)

Other commenters urged the district to ensure families of victims are notified, to adopt a restorative-justice approach to accountability, and to restrict or supervise devices capable of recording on campus. Student Jose Gonzalez Montiel said parents have not been adequately informed; another student asked why devices such as “Meta glasses” were permitted on campus and argued for more than a three-day suspension for those responsible. (multiple student commenters)

Board members acknowledged the gravity of the comments and said confidentiality and due process limit what they can say in public, but several trustees told students they heard their concerns and that more work may follow. Trustee comments during the meeting reiterated that the board understands community distress and that there may be additional steps the district can take while respecting legal and personnel processes.

The public speakers asked for: (1) a full, transparent investigation that can recover or trace deleted evidence where possible; (2) clear written policies addressing AI misuse and unauthorized recordings; (3) supervised protocols for locker rooms and athletics; (4) counseling and wellness resources for victims; and (5) accountability measures ranging from community service to exclusion from extracurricular travel or promotion events in cases where students consentingly participated in creating exploitative material.

The board did not take substantive public action, vote on discipline, or announce a new public timeline for an investigation during the meeting. Trustees said some matters remain confidential; the next procedural step the board recorded was continuation of the agenda with recognitions and scheduled action items. The district’s public materials and the board’s oral remarks referenced standard investigations and confidentiality safeguards but did not specify additional disciplinary outcomes at the meeting.