GUSTINE — A small Texas school district said it is investigating an incident in which around two-dozen elementary school students were ordered to pull their pants down after feces were found on a gym floor.

A parent of a Gustine student, who said her 11-year-old daughter was forced to expose her underwear for inspection, told WFAA-TV that boys were taken to one room and girls to another on Monday, for what parents have labeled a partial strip search. Students of the elementary school have indicated in reports that the search was more than just a violation of their privacy.

Parent Maria Medina said she was furious after learning students were told to lower their pants so school workers could find the culprit behind the waste.

Gustine Independent School District Superintendent Ken Baugh said he acknowledged that partially strip-searching students went too far. He said he hoped to have his investigation finished by Wednesday after hearing from everyone involved.

Gustine is about 90 miles southwest of Fort Worth and has a population of nearly 460.