Lancaster Country Day School in Pennsylvania suspended classes following a widespread deepfake scandal that forced the resignation of top administrators over their handling of AI-generated explicit images targeting female students.
The crisis unfolded after revelations that a student allegedly created AI-generated explicit images of approximately 50 female classmates, sparking outrage among parents and the school community over the administration’s delayed response to initial reports.
School Head Matt Micciche and Board President Angela Ang-Alhadeff stepped down after the incident amid mounting pressure from parents threatening legal action over the school’s handling of the situation. The controversy centers on allegations that school leadership failed to act on reports received through “Safe2Say Something,” a state-monitored reporting portal, as early as November 2023.
“The lawsuit would still be pursued despite executive changes,” stated Matthew Faranda-Diedrich, attorney for the affected parents, indicating that the resignations may not be sufficient to address the community’s concerns about the school’s response.
The incident came to light after law enforcement became involved in mid-2024, leading to the arrest of the student responsible in August. Police seized the student’s phone as part of their investigation into the AI-generated images’ creation and distribution.
The scandal has sparked significant student activism, with more than half the student body participating in a walkout. The demonstration, supported by faculty members, called for additional leadership changes and reforms to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Before his resignation, Micciche acknowledged the validity of student concerns, stating, “Our students rightfully exercised their voice today to express their concern and frustration with the school’s response to the situation involving deepfake nudes.”
This marks the second major AI deepfake scandal to rock American schools in 2024. In April, Pikesville High School in Baltimore County, Maryland, faced a similar crisis when their principal, Eric Eiswert, was targeted by a former athletic director who created AI-generated audio containing racist and antisemitic statements. That incident, which led to Eiswert’s temporary removal and triggered a wave of hate messages directed at the school, resulted in criminal charges against the perpetrator.
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