TEMPE, AZ — Parents remain without many answers in the wake of the arrest of a former Tempe Union High School District employee and the subsequent voyeurism investigation at Corona Del Sol High School, sparking calls for transparency and a third-party probe.
The district told parents a camera was inadvertently left running in the school's dance room while it was being used as a makeshift locker room, capturing students in "various states of undress," according to a police report. Investigators say 28-year-old Antony Cruz, a former district surveillance officer, downloaded footage to personal devices. He told a judge he saved the footage for documentation purposes.
The district has told parents the dance room was never designated as a temporary changing room. An internal investigation into how and why that occurred is on hold as Tempe police continue to identify and contact victims, leaving the district tight-lipped in an effort to preserve the integrity of investigators' work.
"It's that kind of stuff that sometimes slips through the cracks," Joe Hendry, a security consultant specializing in K-12 schools, said of the need for school staff to monitor how students use rooms where cameras are present. "Those are the kind of things the school needs to be aware of. Someone needs to be watching for that."
Hendry explained that in best privacy practice, schools often install cameras outside rooms to monitor who comes in and out without capturing what happens inside--such as a camera in a hallway facing a door.
The district has said the dance room camera was installed in 2024 for safety and security because the room has a door that exits outside. The district told parents there are currently no cameras in any changing areas, bathrooms, or classrooms district-wide, but there are cameras in common areas like gyms, cafeterias, weight rooms, and practice rooms.
"[Common areas] should have comprehensive coverage in them," Hendry noted. "So, it shouldn't be a question that there's cameras in those areas."
During Wednesday's school board meeting, a parent called for a third-party investigation into various factors surrounding the dance room camera, including who requested and approved its location, why it was installed, the scope of what it captured, who had access and why families were not informed of its installation.
Superintendent Stacia Wilson acknowledged the impact the incident has had on students and families.
"To the families who spoke here tonight: thank you," Dr. Wilson said. "We know it is not easy to come forward and share your concerns, and we appreciate you giving us the opportunity to listen."
The superintendent said the district will share further information "as it becomes available and as we are able to do so."
A Maricopa County judge entered a not-guilty plea to eight counts of voyeurism on behalf of Cruz during his arraignment. His next court date is Oct. 20 for an initial pretrial conference, with the trial scheduled to begin Dec. 31.
