Shorecliffs Teacher Pleads Not Guilty to Sex with Students

Shorecliffs Middle School teacher Richard John Rack, 50, pleaded not guilty Monday to charges of sexual misconduct with four students -- including the alleged assault of an eighth-grader on campus.

Rack's charges include felony counts of lewd acts on a child and one felony count of oral copulation of a minor under 16, and counts for sexual assault of a minor under 14, according to the criminal complaint.

Rack and his attorney will next appear in court April 29 to set a date for a jury trial.

Orange County Sheriff's Deputies first arrested Rack last June.

To protect the students' identities, the charging documents refer to them as Jane Does Nos. 1-4.

Rack was first charged for two misdemeanor counts of child annoyance against Jane Doe No. 1 and Jane Doe No. 2. If convicted on these counts, he faces a maximum sentence of two years in jail, the D.A. said.

Following Rack's arrest in connection with those students, investigators uncovered alleged sexual conduct with Jane Doe No. 3, officials said, and the fourth girl claiming to be a victim of Rack stepped forward after reading media reports of his arrest.

Rack is still in county custody.