A Metro Nashville teacher has lost his job after school leaders concluded he used AI to alter photos and videos of students without their permission. The case involves a tenured exceptional-education teacher, reports of students being shown manipulated clips in class, and an active state child-welfare investigation. The board’s Tuesday vote puts a new spotlight on where Nashville schools draw the line between classroom technology and student privacy.
According to dismissal records reviewed by Fox 17 News, the board voted unanimously Tuesday to terminate Mario Mumphery, a teacher at Nashville Big Picture High School. Superintendent Dr. Adrienne Battle’s July 7 letter said Mumphery had photographed or recorded students in class and used AI to change the material; MNPS said he had worked for the district since 2004. The letter characterized the conduct as unprofessional conduct unbecoming of a member of the teaching profession.
What The Dismissal Records Allege
The records describe AI videos that allegedly made students dance in ways they considered inappropriate, along with fabricated personal or family scenes and cartoon-style versions of student photos. One student said Mumphery showed a clip of two male classmates twerking to an entire class, while other students described altered videos that made classmates move their hips in strange ways. Battle wrote that students said the conduct made them feel extremely uncomfortable.
The dismissal materials also allege that Mumphery texted students outside school hours, asked where they were, and became upset when they did not respond quickly. Nashville Big Picture’s principal reported the matter to the Metro Nashville Police Department and Tennessee Department of Children’s Services after interviewing multiple students. DCS confirmed to Fox 17 News that it is actively investigating, while police said Mumphery has no Davidson County arrest history and did not say whether a criminal case is underway.
MNPS Had Already Set AI Guardrails
MNPS already has written rules addressing this kind of technology. The district’s AI guidance says staff should not upload student names, photographs, education records or other personally identifying information into AI tools, and should not use real student photos or videos to create altered images that change what happened. The policy also says AI tools must be reviewed for privacy, safety and age-appropriateness.
The Termination Can Still Be Challenged
Because Mumphery was tenured, the termination is not necessarily the final procedural step. Tennessee’s teacher-tenure law allows dismissal for unprofessional conduct and provides a formal hearing and appeal process, as outlined in state law. MNPS has said Mumphery may appeal through the district’s established dismissal process, while no criminal charge has been announced in the available reporting.
