HARTLAND, Wis. — Waukesha West High School says an investigation is underway after basketball players were recorded without their knowledge while changing at Arrowhead High School.
According to a letter Associate Principal and Athletic Director Kyle LeMieux sent to Waukesha West families, the school's administration was made aware of video footage taken from the "designated team area" for West players and coaches after the boys basketball games at Arrowhead on Tuesday, Feb. 7.
Waukesha West says they reached out to Arrowhead administrators and their school resource officer.
"The primary concern we have communicated to Arrowhead High School is an apparent lack of knowledge that the camera existed by our team members, nor sufficient communication that no level of privacy should be expected within the designated team room from game management personnel," the letter said in part. "As a result, we understand that some if not many of our players went through the process of changing before and after the contest without knowledge of being filmed on camera. It is also our understanding that this same room has been the designated team room for many seasons."
Administrators say the Waukesha County Sheriff's Department is investigating the incident. Waukesha West said the sheriff's department understands the school's "urgency to ensure the video is destroyed, to understand who may have had access to this recording, and to confirm steps are being taken to prevent this type of incident in the future."
The letter says Arrowhead administration is taking immediate corrective action.
Arrowhead Union High School District Superintendent Laura Myrah issued the following statement:
"Following a basketball game wherein Waukesha West was the opposing team, property was missing from Arrowhead High School's North Campus Study Hall Room. Surveillance video from the room found two Waukesha West students were involved in that theft. When parents of those students and/or Waukesha West officials learned there is video image of the theft occurring, perhaps it was concluded the theft occurred in a locker room or changing room. This was a miscommunication or misunderstanding of the room's purpose.
Visiting teams are provided a large study hall room across from the gym for their gear, halftime meeting, etc., with adjacent bathrooms for changing. As you can see from the photos included below, the space is clearly not a locker room or changing room with any expectation of privacy given the bubble camera on the ceiling when one walks in, as well as the four doors, several windows, label of study hall, 100 desks present, etc.
Apparently believing there was a video camera in a locker room, someone contacted law enforcement. Authorities from the Waukesha County Sheriff's Department investigated and found no crime or wrongdoing on the part of Arrowhead High School, nor does video footage exist of students in any state of nudity or inappropriate undress.
To prevent the same misunderstanding in the future, visiting teams will be provided a regular classroom (with no video surveillance) near the gym as their team room, albeit it a smaller space and a bit more distant from the bathrooms for changing."
