Sex Abuse Claims Surface At Short Hills Prep School: Pingry

Short Hills, NJ - The Pingry School – an elite college prep day school with campuses in Short Hills and Basking Ridge – is investigating alumni claims that a former teacher sexually abused students in the 1970s.

School officials recently sent a letter to students and stakeholders informing them of the investigation and allegations. The letter – published by NJ.com - reportedly reads:

“We recently learned from a few of our alumni that students were sexually abused by Thad Alton, an employee of Short Hills Country Day School from 1972 to 1974 and an employee of The Pingry School from 1974 to 1978.”

The letter states that Alton was convicted of two counts of sexual abuse of minors in 1990 after a move to upstate New York.

According to the New York State Sex Offender Registry, the 70-year-old was convicted of sexual abuse (1st degree) and sodomy (2nd degree) involving two boys, 10 and 12-years-old, in 1990.

Alton received a four to 12-year state prison sentence for the offenses, and currently resides in an apartment in New York, NY, the database states.

“We are taking this matter very seriously," Pingry school administrators stated. "We contacted law enforcement, informed them of the allegations, and are committed to assisting them in any investigation… While the reported events took place many years ago, we realize that they continue to cause pain for members of our community.”

School officials stated that they have hired a private firm to conduct an independent investigation.

School administrators urged anyone who Alton may have allegedly harmed to contact Headmaster Nathaniel Conard at 908-647-5555, ext. 1232, or nconard@pingry.org.

People may also contact Laura Kirschstein of T&M Protection Resources at 212-916-8852, or lkirschstein@tmprotection.com.

According to its website, The Pingry School is an “independent, coeducational, college preparatory day school for students in kindergarten through grade 12.”

It has a K-5 campus in Short Hills and a grade 6-12 campus in Basking Ridge, which together serve about 1,100 students.

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Photo: Thad Alton, New York Sex Offender Registry