MONESSEN, Pa.,None — A former teacher at Monessen High School was arrested Tuesday afternoon on charges that she had sexual contact with several female students.
Ashley Herre-Bagwell, 29, is accused of having sexual encounters with students on a number of occasions, police said.
The 10th-grade teacher was suspended when the allegations first came to light in March. The district fired Herre-Bagwell in June.
Channel 11 News spoke with a woman who works at the school and whose son had Herre-Bagwell as a teacher.
"My son never had anything negative to say about her, but personally, I am shocked, because I think Monessen is a good school district," Jill Shash said.
According to a criminal complaint, the mother of one of the students found hundreds of text messages between her daughter and the teacher.
The complaint stated that Herre-Bagwell started texting how pretty the girl was and that the two should engage in sexual contact.
The complaint shows that another student interviewed by police stated that Herre-Bagwell told her she was in love with her. The complaint also states some of the alleged sexual contact took place in the suspect's classroom.
"Immediately, when it occurred, we got the district attorney's office involved. Children youth and family services was involved. We are very satisfied with the D.A.'s outcome and that they did find criminal charges," Superintendent of Schools Dr. Cynthia Chelan said.
Chelan also said that the students interviewed by police have been offered counseling.
Herre-Bagwell posted $7,500 bail Tuesday. A preliminary hearing on the charges is scheduled for Friday.
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