Two California teachers appeared sheepish in court as both pleaded not guilty to having drunken cocaine-fueled sex with their high school students on a beach . Melody Lippert , 38 , and Michelle Ghirelli , 30 , originally escaped sex charges as prosecutors could not find evidence linking them to one of the five boys implicated in the trip . But on Wednesday , both answered to charges of unlawful sexual intercourse at a Newport Beach court . Lippert and Ghirelli , both teachers at South Hills High School in Covina , spoke only to deny the charges . Scroll down for video . First appearance : Michelle Ghirelli , who was studying for a Master 's degree , in court to deny charges of sexual assault and giving cocaine to a minor that could see her jailed and placed on the sex offender 's register . Case : Melody Lippert , 38 , allegedly organized a beach trip and invited Ghirelli and five of their students . She allegedly had sex with an 18-year-old boy then coerced Ghirelli into engaging in sexual acts with a 17-year-old . Case : Melody Lippert ( left ) , 38 , and Michelle Ghirelli ( right ) , 30 , both from Covina , were arrested last month over sexual assault allegations but were not charged initially as prosecutors could not link them to one of the boys . Prosecutor Kristin Braic said : 'The bottom line for teachers out there is : keep your hands off your students . ' Outside court Ghirelli 's attorney , Stephen DeSales , told KTLA : 'There were drugs and then marijuana and alcohol heavily involved in everybody 's adventure on this beach . It was a lot of confusion about who was who . ' The teachers were arrested on January 17 after Lippert allegedly organized a camping trip to a beach , inviting Ghirelli and five male students . The pair allegedly provided at least one minor with cocaine . Lippert is accused of having sex with an 18-year-old student an pressuring Ghirelli , who was studying for a Master 's degree after being promoted , to engage in sexual acts with a 17-year-old student . Lippert was charged with conspiracy and contributing to the delinquency of a minor while Ghirelli was charged with copulation and unlawful sex with a minor . They were both released after posting bail and currently remain on paid administrative leave . The South Hills High School teachers allegedly organized an out-of-school beach trip with five students . Lippert , who has taught as a teacher for the Covina-Valley Unified School District for 15 years , had met up with a group of male students from her high school at a beach in San Clemente last November , on a trip that was not school sponsored , according to CBS . In initial reports , Lippert had reportedly given the group alcohol and then engaged in a sexual act with one of the students , according to deputies . She then made plans to meet up with the students for a second liaison at the same spot , bringing along Ghirelli , who has been teaching for the district for five years . The pair then met up with five students of the same group on a non-school sponsored camping trip from December 27 to 29 , spending a night on the beach . The teachers are set to be arraigned on Friday morning at the Harbor Justice Center . The district has also launched an investigation into the incident . It has also reportedly began the process of firing Lippert and Ghirelli , along with three other employees who have been accused of violating district policies .
Michelle Ghirelli , 38 , and Melody Lippert , 30 , from South Hills High School in California appeared in court for charges of having sex with male students . They were initially not charged for sexual assault due to lack of evidence . Both pleaded not guilty to sex with students and providing cocaine to minors .