Girl sues W.Pa. school district over teacher's sexting

MONESSEN, Pa. (AP) — A girl has sued a western Pennsylvania school district for allegedly failing to investigate or prevent a since-fired teacher from indecently touching her and sending sexual text messages to the girl.

The teacher in question, 30-year-old Ashley Herre-Bagwell, of East Millsboro, is awaiting sentencing Jan. 6 after pleading guilty in August to charges involving three female students at Monessen High School from September 2009 until March 2010.

The superintendent of the Monessen City School District today declined comment on the lawsuit which the Pittsburgh-Tribune reports was filed in U.S. District Court, Pittsburgh.

Herre-Bagwell was an English teacher and investigators determined some contact may have occurred in the teacher’s locked classroom.

The district fired Herre-Bagwell in June 2010, and she voluntarily surrendered her state teaching certificate in October.