Two Temecula Valley Unified School District trustees, Steven Schwartz and Emil Barham, accused fellow trustee Melinda Anderson of placing an electronic device beneath their desk during the district’s September 22, 2026, board meeting. They said they believed it was a listening device. Reports describe video showing an object being placed and later retrieved, but its identity and whether it recorded audio have not been established publicly.
What happened at the September 22 board meeting?
The meeting was a regular Temecula Valley Unified School District (TVUSD) board meeting. The district calendar lists closed session beginning at 4 p.m. and open session at 6 p.m. (TVUSD calendar.)
ABC7 reported that Schwartz and Barham said surveillance footage showed Anderson placing an electronic device beneath their desk. The trustees said they believed it was a listening device and accused Anderson of trying to spy on them. “Listening device” is their characterization, not a verified identification of the object. (ABC7.)
The Riverside Record said it obtained footage through a California Public Records Act request. The outlet described video showing Anderson putting an object under the desk before the open session and retrieving it later. That account describes what the outlet said the footage showed; it does not establish the object’s make, function, or whether it captured sound. (The Riverside Record.)
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Did a Temecula school board member put a listening device under a desk?
Two trustees accused a colleague after footage reportedly showed an object being placed under a desk. They said they believed it was a listening device. The reporting does not independently confirm that identification, and it does not establish that Anderson placed a functioning listening device there.
What did the sheriff’s department say?
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office said deputies responded to a report of alleged surreptitious recording and that the Southwest Station’s Investigation Bureau assumed the investigation. The Riverside Record quoted the office as saying: “Upon arrival, deputies spoke with the reporting party, who reported that a subject had recorded surreptitiously at the location.” That describes what the reporting party told deputies, not a finding that recording occurred. Patch reported the investigation was ongoing and that no further details were available. (Patch.)
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Did the device record the meeting?
The reports reviewed do not establish whether the object recorded or transmitted audio. They also do not identify its make or model, report investigative findings, or establish whether charges or formal board action followed. As of October 3, 2026, the sheriff’s investigation was reported as ongoing.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What has Anderson said?
The Riverside Record reported that Anderson said she had begun carrying a recording device to document threats she said were being made against her. She said the previous week’s meeting led her to realize that recording did not provide the protection she had hoped for. Her account is her explanation; the reported threats have not been independently established.
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Anderson also told the Record she was working with attorneys to determine when and how to leave the board, but said she had not formally resigned and gave no date. “I have to state that this is not my formal resignation, and I am not announcing a resignation date today,” the Record quoted her as saying. The district said it was aware of video circulating online and declined further comment, directing questions to law enforcement. The Record reported that the district had not received formal communication from Anderson about her trustee position.
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Timeline
- September 22, 2026: TVUSD’s regular board meeting; the district calendar lists closed session at 4 p.m. and open session at 6 p.m.
- September 26, 2026: Deputies reportedly responded to the district office after a report of possible surreptitious recording.
- October 1, 2026: The Riverside Record and Patch reported on the footage and investigation; the Record also reported Anderson’s public comments.
- October 3, 2026: ABC7 published the trustees’ accusation and the sheriff’s account. The investigation’s outcome had not been established in the reports reviewed.
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