Coverage spread: 2 sources — 2 unrated
Lean ratings via AllSides / Media Bias-Fact-Check. How this works.
Where they agree
- Antony Cruz, a former Tempe Union High School District surveillance officer, is charged with voyeurism after allegedly downloading footage of underage girls changing at Corona del Sol High School.
- The footage came from a camera recording a room being used as a temporary changing space during locker room renovations.
- Parents confronted district officials at a school board meeting, seeking information about potential victims and student privacy protections.
- Both outlets confirm an investigation is ongoing alongside the criminal case.
Where they differ
- AZFamily provides extensive detail — the charge count (seven), bond amount ($100,000), Cruz’s age, arraignment time, and the district’s explanation that the room was a dance studio not an approved changing location.
- 12News’ available text is a brief summary focused narrowly on parents demanding answers, without the specific charge, bond, or arraignment details AZFamily includes.
- AZFamily includes a direct parent quote arguing Cruz should face more charges given the nearly month-long timeframe; 12News’ provided text doesn’t include specific quotes.
A former surveillance officer for Tempe Union High School District, Antony Cruz, 28, is set to be arraigned Thursday on seven counts of voyeurism after police say he downloaded video showing underage girls undressing at Corona del Sol High School. He is being held on a $100,000 cash-only bond, and the district has opened its own internal investigation.
What did Cruz allegedly do?
According to court paperwork cited by AZFamily, Cruz used his access as a district surveillance officer to reach camera feeds recording a room where young teen girls were changing clothes. Rather than reporting the exposed footage to school staff or law enforcement, he allegedly downloaded several videos — at least seven of which showed girls in various states of undress. Those seven instances form the basis of the voyeurism charges against him.
Why was a camera recording a changing room in the first place?
The room in question was being used temporarily as a changing space while the girls’ locker room at Corona del Sol High School was closed for renovations. Police noted that staff and students had specifically asked for the cameras in that room to be turned off for privacy, but they were left running. The district says the room is actually a dance studio, not a locker room, and had a camera installed in 2024 for general campus-safety purposes — not to monitor students changing. Officials say that during the locker-room renovation, they approved a separate, camera-free space at the school for students to change, and that the dance room was never one of the approved locations.
What are parents asking for?
At a Tempe Union school board meeting, upset parents pressed district leaders for more information about the scope of the breach and whether their own children were affected. One parent argued that given the footage reportedly spanned close to a month, Cruz should likely face more than seven counts, and called on the district to release more details so families can determine “the full breadth of the victims.” 12News reports that parents used the board meeting to demand answers specifically about student privacy protections and how many students may have been recorded.
What happens next?
Cruz is scheduled to be arraigned at 8:30 a.m. Thursday. The Tempe Union High School District says it has launched an internal investigation into how the exposure happened and why the camera wasn’t disabled despite requests. It’s not yet clear from available reporting whether additional charges are being considered, how many students’ footage was accessed beyond the seven counted instances, or what disciplinary or policy changes the district may make as a result.
Why this matters
The case raises questions about oversight of school security systems and how districts safeguard camera footage involving minors, particularly in makeshift arrangements like temporary changing spaces during renovations. It also highlights a gap between staff/student privacy requests and actual camera operation — the cameras were supposed to be off, but weren’t, and that gap allowed the alleged misconduct to go undetected for weeks.
Sources
Featured photo: MHS Wildcat via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)