Former Teacher Who Had Sex With Student Seeks Work Release

The former Bangor Area High School teacher -- sometimes in the parking lot of the  in  -- is seeking work release, a decision a Northampton County judge says he'll mull over for a few days.

According to a report in The Express-Times, Rachel L. Farrell, who was sentenced in June to 5 to 23 months in Northampton County Prison, appeared before Judge Emil Giordano Friday morning to seek the work release.

Her attorney, Steven Mills, argued that Farrell has a factory job waiting for her and she is being housed in the work release part of the prison, the report states.

A decision is expected Tuesday, Giordano said.

Farrell has stood in front of the judge before, just after being incarcerated. She asked Giordano for house arrest because she was unable to eat in prison.

Mills has said his client was doing poorly in Northampton County Prison because she was not getting the help she needed for mental health problems and had lost 10 pounds in 13 days.

The only boy to cooperate with authorities, who is now 18, told police that Farrell was his 11th grade reading teacher at Bangor.

He said "he and Farrell had sexual intercourse numerous times at many different locations. Many times were in her car or his car parked in secluded locations," according to the affidavit of probable cause. He said some "" and also at the Ramada Inn in Tannersville, Monroe County.

Farrell had allegedly admitted to police on Dec. 16 that she had had sex with two 17-year-old boys from the school. She submitted her resignation at the same time.

But in January, District Attorney John Morganelli said Farrell had affairs with up to four students, and had an extended relationship with at least one.

Only one of the students cooperated with police, however, and the district attorney dropped additional charges involving the other boys.

The age of sexual consent in Pennsylvania is 16. But “corruption of minors” is when someone older than 18 corrupts the “morals” of anyone under 18.