Teacher on Paid Leave After Comments on Student Sex Accusations Against Colleagues

The art teacher said the students should have kept their "stupid mouths shut" about alleged sex act with two teachers during trips to the beach

A high school teacher is on paid leave after a social media post about two female colleagues accused of having sex with students on trips to the beach.

Covina Valley Unified School District officials confirmed that art teacher Sean Kane posted the rant in which he said the students should have kept their "stupid mouths shut and enjoyed it."

"We can't dictate what somebody is going to put on their own personal Facebook page, but at the same time we would expect teachers to be professional," said district spokeswoman Michelle Van Der Linden.

Kane declined a request for comment. A Twitter hashtag called #FreeKane includes comments from students who call him their best teacher.

The two teachers, identified as Melody Lippert, 38, and Michelle Ghirelli, 30, were arrested Saturday on suspicion of having sex with South Hills High School students during trips to the beach where they brought alcohol for the students, Orange County Sheriff's investigators said. School officials said other teachers alerted authorities that they heard rumors about the crimes.

Neither trip was sponsored by the school, investigators said.

The case is under review and no charges had been filed as of Wednesday night, according to the Orange County District Attorney's office. The women were released on bond.

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