A police investigation is underway after students at Lake Zurich High School were reported to have used AI to generate sexually explicit images of female classmates, with school officials calling it “disturbing.”
Lake Zurich Community Unit School District 95 sent a letter to families in the district on Thursday about the incident.
“Our highest priority as a district is the safety, dignity, and well-being of our students. It is with a heavy heart and deep concern for our student body that I am writing to share a recent disturbing incident involving Lake Zurich High School students,” District 95 Superintendent Dr. Kelley Gallt said.
The situation reported to the district involves the “misuse” of artificial intelligence to generate explicit, pornographic images using the likeness of other adolescents.
“We understand the profound impact this has on the individuals involved, their families, and our learning community. Please know that we are taking this matter with the utmost seriousness, as such actions are a fundamental violation of the values we work to instill in our students every day,” Gallt said.
The school district said it is committed to being responsive to its students through the support and care it provides internally.
The district also provided parents and guardians with the “tools to navigate the difficult topic at home.”
The district says they are continuing to provide “targeted teaching and emotional support” within schools.
“We are unable to share specific information regarding the school-based investigation and/or outcomes for any students involved,” Gallt said.
Administrators of Lake Zurich High School first received a report on February 26 of AI being used to generate pornographic images, which included the likenesses of high school students.
The school notified the Lake Zurich Police Department of the incident that same day.
Lake Zurich Police Chief Steve Husak confirmed his department was contacted by staff at Lake Zurich High School on February 26.
Husak said staff reported potential transmission of lewd material, including AI-generated content depicting the likenesses of juveniles, between students.
“This remains an active and ongoing investigation. Due to the involvement of minors, no additional information is available at this time,” Husak said.
School officials said families of students thought to be involved based on the initial report, including students involved in the possession, generation or distribution of content, and students whose images were included, were contacted by school administration and a detective from the Lake Zurich Police Department on February 26 and February 27.
Administrators collected additional information and issued school-based consequences “based on data available at the time” from February 26 through March 6.
“Once information was turned over to the police department, no further information can be made available to the district as this is an active criminal investigation,” Gallt said.
No administrators or staff directly viewed any of the content.
“Additional families may receive communication from the police department regarding their student’s involvement in the incident. Because of the concerning nature of this incident, it is likely to draw media attention, and unfortunately not in a positive light,” Gallt said.
Parents whose child was impacted by the incident have been provided with school resources. “Targeted teaching opportunities” have already occurred for grades 5-12.
Many parents with students at the school have expressed dissatisfaction with school administrators for their handling of the matter, including the school discipline of the student offenders involved.
One parent said police have obtained a subpoena for Snapchat records and will turn their investigation over to the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office for review of charges once the investigation has concluded.
Another parent said the number of victims is more than 40 girls and ranges from high school to fifth-grade.
Anyone with information related to the investigation is asked to contact the Lake Zurich Police Department Criminal Investigations Division at 847-719-1690.