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English Teacher Slapped With More Sex Charges

KINGSTON — An English teacher from Luzerne County was arrested again this morning, accused of having sexual contact with a second student from Wyoming Val...

KINGSTON -- An English teacher from Luzerne County was arrested again this morning, accused of having sexual contact with a second student from Wyoming Valley West High School.

Lauren Harrington-Cooper of Kingston was arraigned this morning on charges of institutional sexual assault and corruption of minors.

Authorities said Harrington-Cooper sent racy text messages to a 17-year-old student in October, and later had two sexual encounters with the teenager in a car.

Last month she was charged with inappropriate contact with a different student.

The superintendent at Wyoming Valley West School District said Harrington-Cooper was suspended without pay after the first arrest.

People who live in Plymouth told Newswatch 16 that they are disgusted by the allegations against the educator.

“It did surprise me when I saw it on TV. It was really shocked me,” said Geraldine June. “It gives a bad name for the school.”

One of Harrington-Cooper’s students, who did not want to be identified, said a lot of rumors were spreading around the high school before his teacher was first arrested.

“When the kid came in, they were all laughing and everything and having a good time together. Everything was so secret,” the student said. "She was strict but like, once everything started happening, you could tell something was changing and she seemed more happy.”

Luzerne County detectives urged parents in the district to talk with students, but the investigator would not say if they expect more victims to come forward.

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