At Least Two Previous Students Molested by Former Morristown Teacher

MORRISTOWN, NJ — The Peck School in Morristown recently announced at least two previous students revealed they were molested by former teacher Thad Alton. Alton taught English, coached soccer, and ran a sixth-grade homeroom at Peck from 1978-89, NJ.com reports.

Alton worked The Pingry School before his time at The Peck School. Former students at The Pingry School came forward with stories of Alton sexually abusing them while he was their Scoutmaster and teacher, which provoked The Peck School to hire an outside firm to look into Alton's time at their school.

According to The Peck School, Alton had "positive job references" from his other workplaces — like Short Hills Country Day School and Pingry — when he was hired at Peck. Andrew C. Delinksy, Head of School, and Edward J. Foley IV, president of the board of trustees sent an email to Peck Alumni that said Alton's records contained no signs of previous issues or concerns.

Alton was charged in Essex County with three counts of lewdness for playing strip poker while on Boy Scout camping trips and engaging in mutual masturbation with 12-year-old boys. Alton went to New York, and was charged with more sexual assault crimes against boys in 1990.

Alton went to prison for five years and is a lifetime registered sex offender.

For more information, read the NJ.com article here.