Sophomore boys in Westfield Public Schools in Union Count used Artificial Intelligence to send pornographic pictures of female students to each other. The faces are real but the bodies aren’t. These incidents were confirmed in an October 20th email to parents sent by Westfield High School Principal Mary Asfendis.

This was first reported today in the Wall Street Journal.

Some parents are saying it was a “youthful transgression” that should be forgiven. But other parents, particularly those whose daughters were the subject of the photos, are arguing for stiff punishments. Two families have filed police reports.

From the Journal:

Sophomore boys at Westfield High were acting ‘weird’ on Monday, Oct. 16, whispering among themselves and being quieter than normal, said one mom, recounting what her daughter, a classmate, told her.

Girls started asking questions, the mom said. Finally, on Oct. 20, one boy told some of the girls what all the whispering was about: At least one student had used an AI-powered website to make pornographic images using girls’ photos found online, then shared them with other boys in group chats. Girls at Westfield reported the situation to school administrators, who began interviewing boys who might have known more information.

In an Oct. 20 email to parents, Westfield High School Principal Mary Asfendis said she believed the images had been deleted and weren’t being circulated.

“This is a very serious incident,” Asfendis wrote. “New technologies have made it possible to falsify images and students need to know the impact and damage those actions can cause to others.” She pledged to continue teaching children about responsible technology use.

Senator Jon Bramnick, who represents Westfield, said he was researching whether the boys had broken any laws. “This has to be a serious crime in New Jersey,” he said

The parents and some of the affected girls met with Bramnick, Westfield Mayor Shelley Brindle, three female town council members, and a school board member. Brindle said, “to be in a situation where you see young girls traumatized at a vulnerable stage of their lives is hard to witness.”

One of the girls said, “At first I cried, and then I decided I should not be sad. I should be mad and should advocate for myself and the other victims. We’re aware that there are creepy guys out there,” she told the group, “but you’d never think one of your classmates would violate you like this.”

Westfield Public Schools declined to comment.