Families concerned after employee charged with recording students in locker room at Cristo Rey Jesuit High School; letter sent to parents
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- A week after parents and students found out a former security coordinator at Cristo Rey Jesuit High School had been charged with invasion of privacy using a surveillance device, some families are raising concern with how school leaders responded.
Fernando Bustos, 41, is accused of recording underage girls in the school’s locker room, according to a criminal complaint filed in Milwaukee County Circuit Court.
Detectives recovered nearly 400 videos from his personal camera, which was reportedly hidden in the back of a locker. One of the videos shows Bustos installing a camera inside the high school girls' locker room.
"I would always change in the girls' locker room when I had basketball," said Mia Dominguez, a student at Cristo Rey Jesuit High School. “I’m feeling very awful because of what happened.”
Dominguez and others who were impacted by the recordings gathered at Voces de la Frontera's building on W. Historic Mitchell Street on Milwaukee's south side Monday, March 10. Voces de la Frontera did not allow media to watch the meeting, but parents and students who spoke to CBS 58 prior to the meeting said they were gathering to discuss their concerns with school leadership in response to what happened.
According to a statement released by the school on Tuesday, Bustos was fired in early February for performance reasons.
It was not until mid-February they say they discovered his personal recording devices and stored video files of students. Some families say they didn't find out what happened until Bustos was charged in early March.
“The school could have let us know two, three weeks ago, when it first happened, so we could have been on the lookout and had our children’s best interests," said Brandon Hobbs, a parent of a student at Cristo Rey Jesuit High School.
CBS 58 reached out to school leaders in response to Monday's meeting with families. President Andrew Stith responded in part:
“At Cristo Rey Jesuit High School Milwaukee, our students’ physical, emotional, and spiritual safety and security are our first priorities. Our prayers are with the families who have been impacted, and we stand in unwavering solidarity with all those affected by the actions of Fernando Bustos. This is a very difficult time for everyone in the Cristo Rey Jesuit Community, and we are sorry that this happened.
We acknowledge and value the concerns we’ve heard from our parents and students. In an effort to demonstrate our deep appreciation for their feedback, Cristo Rey’s President and Chair of the Board of Directors shared a letter (in English and Spanish) on Sunday March 9, 2025 that outlines steps we are immediately taking to keep students safe and address concerns. We will continue to provide answers and information as we are able to."
Cristo Rey Jesuit High School sent CBS 58 the letter, which addresses parents' concerns with communication. The school says it plans to enhance their communication systems by convening a group of parents to regularly meet to discuss issues, share feedback, and collaborate on solutions related to this matter and others.
Students and parents say this letter came after a school board meeting ended with a student walkout on Friday, March 7.
“I can see that they’re trying to fix things, but it’s not going to fix the trust that they broke," said Aurora Avila, a student at Cristo Rey Jesuit High School. “I feel betrayed."
The case remains under investigation and a warrant is out for his arrest. If convicted, Bustos faces 3.5 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.