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District Attorney Weighs In On School Texting Scandal In Coatesville

By Jenn Bernstein

COATESVILLE, Pa., (CBS) -- Chester County District Attorney Thomas Hogan is remaining tight lipped about the investigation into the Coatesville Area School District.

However, on Wednesday, he did say his office was already looking into an issue within the Coatesville Area School District before the text message exchange between former School Superintendent Richard Como and former Athletic Director Jim Donato surfaced.

"We had an investigation that pre-dated these texts and these phones," said District Attorney Hogan, "what then happened was we had developed sources during the course of the investigation, and one night, one of those sources called me up and said these texts have been discovered - there are racist comments, and in addition there are comments about skimming, we are afraid that these phones are going to be either destroyed or that they will never see the light of day, and please intervene."

The District Attorney said there was a specific reference to taking money from the school.

He called the school district and said he would be confiscating those phones.

Last night, the Coatesville Area School Board formally accepted the resignation of both former officials in a 6 to 1 vote, amid calls from public speakers to instead fire both men (see related story).

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