Teacher-sex lawsuit settlement approved by council

The Plum Borough Council has voted to settle a lawsuit filed by a former student who accused officials of failing to investigate accusations of sexual assaults by a high school teacher.

Plum officials didn’t identify those involved in the settlement, which was approved unanimously at a meeting Monday night.

Borough solicitor Bruce Dice said he instructed council members not to comment on the details of the agreement. Seven parties are involved in the lawsuit, and the borough council was the first to formally approve the settlement. Once all the parties agree, Mr. Dice said, the terms of the agreement can be made public.

Two former female students at Plum Senior High School have filed lawsuits in relation to the sex abuse scandal. Three male teachers have pleaded guilty and are serving prison sentences, and a fourth was acquitted of charges he tried to intimidate one of the accusers by pointing her out in class.

Court documents indicate that the school district reached a tentative settlement agreement in July.

The woman, identified as Jane Doe in the lawsuit, said she was a 17-year-old student at Plum Senior High School when teacher Joseph Ruggieri, 41, began a sexual relationship with her. She said she sued the district because school administrators refused to investigate the allegations of sexual assault or inform police.

Ruggieri is serving two to five years for institutional sexual assault, corruption of minorsand witness intimidation. Jason Cooper is serving 18 to 36 months for institutional sexual assault and witness intimidation. Michael Cinefra is serving three to six years on charges of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, unlawful contact, institutional sexual assault, corruption of minors and givingalcohol to minors.

A second student who was a victim of sexual assault at the high school sued the district in January.