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Plum school board announces decision to fill positions of teachers under investigation

PLUM, Pa. — Plum Borough school board members on Monday accepted the resignation of one of two high school teachers facing charges for allegedly having a sexual relationship with a student.

The board accepted the resignation of Jason Cooper, who had been suspended without pay since February, during a school board meeting at which parents and students came to protest the closure of an elementary school.

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During the meeting, the board also decided to move forward with hiring for teacher Joseph Ruggieri's position. Ruggieri, also accused of having a sexual relationship with a student, has yet to submit his resignation and has been suspended without pay since February.

In regard to teacher Drew Zoldak, who is accused of witness intimidation, the board announced plans to seek a long-term substitute teacher.

Protesters demanded accountability from school board members and wanted the district to continue to move forward with building a new elementary school.

Regency Park Elementary was closed at the end of the 2014-2015 school year. Parents said the board had promised to build a new elementary school at the same location, but now is backing away from the original plan with intentions of closing the school altogether.

"I feel like I have to babysit the school board. I shouldn't have to do that," said David Kearney, a parent. "Do what you said you're going to do."

At the meeting, the board president asked that the issue be put out for voter referendum to fund debt.

Families gathered at the Plum Community Library to make signs for the protest before the meeting began.

"We are all very upset. We want this school, our kids need this school. It's a community, and we need to come together," said Jennifer Kearney, a parent of a student within the Plum Borough School District.

Parents said that students are scheduled to go to another elementary school that had been shut down. They thought the move would be temporary, but now are not sure what to expect.

Kearney said that she wants to see them pass Act 34 and build a new elementary school, as promised.

After the school board meeting, Superintendent Dr. Timothy Glasspool released a statement that said, in part, "In light of the ongoing investigations, the need to finalize plans for the upcoming school year and the community's interest in recovering from these recent events, the Board of the Plum Borough School District took a number of actions…"

To read the entire statement, CLICK HERE.

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