Former Philly boarding school teacher charged with sex abuse of student

A retired teacher and Boy Scout troop leader at Girard College, a Philadelphia boarding school for economically disadvantaged children, has been charged with sexually abusing a student over a two-year period, Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer announced Tuesday.

Keith Steininger, 68, of Upland Borough, was being held at the George W. Hill Correctional Facility after he was unable to post $250,000 bail. Steininger was charged with multiple counts of sexual contact with a student, unlawful contact with a minor, endangering the welfare of a child, and related offenses.

Court records did not show a lawyer listed for Steininger, who retired in July 2022 after 41 years. Besides being a teacher, he was the leader of a Boy Scout troop based at the school.

David P. Hardy, president of Girard College, said in a statement that he was “shocked and angered by these deeply troubling allegations, and the college has pledged our full cooperation with Delaware County law enforcement officials in their continuing investigation of this case.”

Hardy said that the school “is offering counseling and other support services for all students and families who request them. We will continue to keep our families updated about this matter as we learn more in the days to come.”

The investigation began in January after Upland Borough police were contacted by a foster parent who reported that her foster child said he had been assaulted between 2018 and 2020 when he was between the ages of 11 and 13.

The child alleged that he had been touched sexually while staying with Steininger, his former teacher and Boy Scout leader, Stollsteimer said.

The child alleged that the assaults started when he was a student at Girard College and later stopped after the child left the school and no longer spent time at Steininger’s residence.

Stollsteimer added that text messages allegedly sent by Steininger to the child provided additional corroboration and, in a phone call with the child this month, Steininger allegedly acknowledged the sexual contact and offered an apology.

“The defendant in this case worked with children, many of whom were particularly vulnerable by virtue of coming to Girard through the foster care system, for more than 41 years,” Stollsteimer said in a statement

“Sadly, we believe that – given the defendant’s long tenure working with children – it is very likely that additional victims will come forward,” Stollsteimer said.

The district attorney asked that anyone with information on the case contact the Upland Police Department at 610-872-3040, Ext. 207, or Detective Sgt. Steven Bannar of the Delaware County Criminal Investigations Division at 610-891-4118.