RICHMOND, R.I. – Two teachers from the same school are facing criminal charges for allegedly sexually assaulting students.

Chariho High School business teacher Paul LaFrance, 53, and science teacher John Wedlock, 52, both face felony charges for alleged inappropriate relationships with teen girls at the school, WPRI reports.

LaFrance was arrested at this West Greenwich home early Tuesday morning, while Wedlock turned himself in to police that same day. Both men were released on personal recognizance bonds.

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“My initial reaction is one of anger,” superintendent Barry Ricci told the news site. “I think we have this awesome responsibility as educators and this trust between educator and student has been broken.

“I’ve worked closely with these individuals,” he said. “Never in a million years would I have suspected them.”

Police launched an investigation after a student’s mother told school officials she suspected her daughter was in an inappropriate relationship with Wedlock. The Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children task force combed through electronic devices as part of the investigation, which revealed LaFrance as a second suspect, WPRI reports.

Police said they found sexually explicit material and communications, evidence that “both men knowingly soliciting, urging or requesting a person they knew to be under the age of 18 to engage in sexual acts.” It’s unclear if the men solicited the same student, or different students.

Wedlock abruptly resigned in September, but Ricci said he plans to pursue LaFrance’s termination “with vigor,” according to the news site. LaFrance was put on paid leave about three weeks ago, when the allegations surfaced, but has since been moved to unpaid status, NBC reports.

LaFrance is charged with one count of indecent solicitation of a child and two counts of third-degree sexual assault, while Wedlock faces one count of indecent solicitation of a child, the Providence Journal reports.

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Ricci told the news station he’s encouraging school staff to be open with students about the arrests.

“I really encouraged them to think tonight what tomorrow will bring because our students will know tomorrow and our students will come with many questions,” Ricci said. “We’re not going to pretend it didn’t happen.”

Local resident Rick Naylor posted to Facebook that the recent arrests aren’t the first time teachers in the school have had inappropriate relationships with students.

“ … (W)e had several of them when we were there in ’71 and ’72! We had a first-year teacher and a senior in ’71, she got pregnant and they did get married after she graduated,” he wrote. “I won’t name any names but we had several, back then we never said anything but we knew.”

Commenter Carol McArthur Rumrill chastised district officials for not informing parents three weeks ago, when the allegations first surfaced.

“The school administrators knew about this THREE WEEKS AGO – yet no contact with the parents,” she posted. “They had to learn through the media. This is just wrong … and this needs to be changed. I feel bad for the victims – and I hope justice is served.”

Others found irony is Wedlock’s arrest.

“Wait … his name is seriously Wedlock?” Barry Makepeace posted.