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Judge OKs federal lawsuit against Plum schools after sex scandal

A federal judge allowed a civil lawsuit against Plum School District filed by a female student to proceed on Wednesday.

The suit - which also names Plum Borough, police officer Mark Kost, Superintendent Timothy Glasspool, former principal Ryan Kociela and former teacher Jason Cooper – alleges her rights to due process were violated.

She claims she was abused by Cooper, and that Kost failed to document and report incidents.

In 2016, Cooper was sentenced to 18-to-36 months in prison after pleading guilty to institutional sexual assault and witness intimidation.

"Plum High School was a snake pit where young girls were thrown in by the defendants,” said the plaintiff’s attorney, Craig Fishman, in a statement. “They cared more about protecting their friends than doing their jobs.”

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Cooper was one of four teachers charged in a sex scandal that rocked the district in 2015. Three were convicted of sexually abusing female students, and the fourth was charged with intimidation.

"She's trying to get on with her life,” Fishman said. “She has not recovered and it's going to take her a very, very long time to get over this."

Fishman said that the plaintiff has a “right to body integrity” that needs to be protected.

He also said that Fishman this case serves as a wake-up call to the community.

"They are all responsible and they need to take responsibility for their conduct,” said Fishman. “Thus far, they've refused to do so and it's our job to make them pay for what they've done."