Kansas City, Mo ? Kansas City school district officials confirmed Wednesday that third-grade students were strip-searched, and promised “the most severe disciplinary consequences available” against the adults involved.

“The District finds the conduct of the adults directly involved in this incident to be abhorrent,” district officials said in a written statement. They called the searches “an egregious violation of District policy.”

According to parents, physical education teacher Thomas L. Sims and third-grade teacher Betty Bettis at Pitcher Elementary searched 23 students for $5 in missing lunch money on March 18. The money was eventually found, though not because of the searches.

Principal Jana Schwimmer and two teachers were suspended last week pending the investigation.

District spokesman Edwin Birch said the three staff members remain suspended, but said state law prohibited him from talking about any other disciplinary action they face.

All 23 students and the adults involved were interviewed by the district’s legal team.

Superintendent Bernard Taylor sent a letter home to parents, dated Tuesday, which said the searches “unquestionably violated District policy that clearly prohibits requiring students to undress as part of a search.”

On Monday, the father of one of the students sued Sims for at least $25,000. The lawsuit does not name the district.

Birch said Taylor would not be commenting on the conclusion that 23 students were strip-searched.