Parents outraged after boy let back into classroom after AI-nude photo scandal

The Newcastle student was suspended after creating more than 300 digitally manipulated photos of female students, some as young as 12. 

Parents at a Newcastle high school are outraged after a student who was suspended for creating hundreds of AI-generated explicit photos of female students has been allowed back into the classroom. 

On May 24, a male student at Hunter School of the Performing Arts was reported to have doctored more than 300 images of schoolgirls from the NSW secondary school using AI technology.

Now parents are furious that the school has let the boy return to class. 

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The youngest victims of the AI nude scandal were only 12 years old. Picture: 7News

Student suspended for 10 days following AI-generated images

It’s understood more than 300 digitally manipulated images of the students were found on the boy’s phone, with some featured victims as young as 12 years old. 

One female student, aged only 13, had an innocent mirror selfie doctored into one of the horrifying images. 

RELATED: Female school students targeted in ‘obscene’ AI-generated fake nude scandal

“He screenshotted, and then, he’s AI’d it to make me have no clothes on,” she told reporters at 7News. 

Her parents, who were initially “very confused” about what was going on, quickly became “very very shocked” and "horrified" by the news. 

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Following the report of the AI-generated images, the student was slapped with a 10-day suspension. 

Two weeks later, the student was back in the classroom. 

Now parents are wondering why the student didn’t get expelled for his actions. 

“It’s not cool; it shouldn’t be happening at schools,” a student told reporters.  "Makes people feel unsafe.”  

The Department of Education has since confirmed NSW Police were investigating the incident at the school.

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The student was suspended for 10 days before returning to the classroom. Picture: 7News

A wave of AI-generated nude photos rocking Australian schools

The news comes a day after a Melbourne high school student was arrested for sharing up to 50 explicit images of students between Year 9 and Year 12. 

Victoria Police confirmed the male student was released shortly after being arrested. 

The school has since confirmed the images circulating, with principal Andrew Neal describing the scene as “obscene.” 

“It’s appalling. It is something that strikes to the heart of students, particularly girls growing up at this age,” he told the ABC. 

“They should be able to learn and go about their business without this kind of nonsense.” 

Despite the images not being real, they are still considered child abuse material; those who share sexually explicit digitally-created images without consent may face up to seven years in jail. 

Originally published as Parents outraged after boy let back into classroom after AI-nude photo scandal