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When a student asked Plum High School teacher Drew Zoldak why he was questioned by police, he allegedly pointed to a female victim and said, "Because of her." He then summoned her to the front of the class for further embarrassment, police said.

(screen shot/WPXI)

It is yet another alleged indignity at Plum High School in Allegheny County. With two teachers already charged in teacher-student sex cases, a third teacher was arrested Wednesday for allegedly intimidating a student in front of a class by singling her out as a girl who had sex with another teacher.

TribLive.com reports that police, in a criminal complaint, allege that Drew Zoldak, 40, of Allegheny Township pointed to the student during a class and identified her as a victim of English teacher and former union vice president Joseph Ruggieri.

When Ruggieri was charged Feb. 17 with having sex with a student, the girl's name was not made public, TribLive.com points out.

Details from TribLive.com:

"The reason I wasn't here on Friday is because two men in suits from the District Attorney's Office were asking me hundreds of questions," Zoldak told his third-period class on Monday, according to the complaint. When a student asked why he was questioned, Zoldak pointed to the girl and said, "Because of her," police said.

Police said Zoldak, who teaches forensics in the science department, then summoned the girl to the front of the class and asked if she would "be OK" with next week's class topic: sexual assault.

Alison Hall, executive director of Pittsburgh Action Against Rape, said the incident is "appalling."

"This can have huge ramifications. Many victims already don't think they're going to be believed," Hall said. "Generally, where there's one victim, there are many, many more victims who potentially may not come forward because of what they're experiencing, let alone what they see others going through."

Zoldak faces two charges of intimidating a witness or victim. His arrest occurred shortly after a district judge ordered Plum chemistry teacher Jason Cooper to stand trial on charges he had sex with a different student.

"Right now, after the third teacher being arrested, I don't believe it is a safe environment for students," Bill Chapla, the parent of a Plum High School junior, told TribLive. He suggested the state Department of Education run the school district "until the investigation is over and we get to the bottom of who knew what and when."