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Former IPS counselor accused of having sex with students changes plea

Posted at 7:50 PM, Dec 20, 2016
and last updated 2016-12-20 19:50:12-05

INDIANAPOLIS -- A former IPS counselor accused of having sex multiple times with two students is changing her plea.

Shana Taylor, 37, was arrested back in February. She was charged with 11 counts, including child seduction, dissemination of material harmful to minors and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

Taylor plead not guilty to all of those charges. 

A spokesman for the Marion County Prosecutor’s office said a new plea was agreed upon at a pre-trial hearing on Tuesday afternoon. That plea will be entered next month when Taylor goes back before the judge. 

The details of that plea agreement have not been released.

Taylor is accused of having sexual relationships with at two students on multiple occasions between October 2015 and February 2016.

According to court documents, the incidents happened at the school while class was in session, at Taylor's home in Greenwood, and at a hotel in Bloomington.

Five school officials were accused of failing to immediately report the information to the Department of Child Services. 

Two former administrators, William Jensen, who was an assistant principal and Deb Leser, were fired during the course of the investigation.

Both Jensen and Leser filed lawsuits against the district claiming they were wrongfully terminated for their role in the investigation.

Two other school employees, Shalon Dabney and Lela Hester, were charged but were given the option to complete a diversion program to have those charges dropped. 

And Positive Supports Academy Principal Mark Cosand stepped down amid the allegations . Although Cosand denied that his resignation was completely tied to the Taylor case, claiming he was stepping down for medical reasons. 

Taylor's change of plea hearing is scheduled for January 3 at 11 a.m.

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