Teacher chargedwith sexual assault

Longtime Ridley teacher, West Chester resident arrested for alleged relationship with former student

A longtime Ridley High School physics teacher and track and field coach has been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a former female high school student in 2014, Delaware County District Attorney Jack Whelan announced Friday.

Gregory Stanczuk, 52, of the 1100 block of Hampshire Place in West Chester, was arraigned Friday afternoon before Magisterial District Judge Philip S. Turner Jr. in Ridley Township on an institutional sexual assault charge, a felony of the third degree, for his alleged relationship with an 18-yearold female student at Ridley High School. Stanczuk has been a physics teacher for more than 30 years, as well as head coach of the girls’ track and field program at Ridley.

As of Friday night, Stanczuk was in Delaware County prison in Concord Township in lieu of 10 percent of $100,000 bail.

Det. Sgt. Robin F. Clark of the Delaware County District Attorney’s Criminal Investigation Division Child Abuse Unit commenced the investigation Jan. 29 after receiving information about an alleged sexual assault of a former student at Ridley High School by Stanczuk, who taught the girl when she was a freshman and was also her track and field coach during her four years at Ridley High.

The alleged victim told authorities that she became emotionally close with Stanczuk during her senior year after she broke up with her boyfriend and was in a vulnerable state. At one point Stanczuk allegedly performed oral sex on her at a hotel, according to the district attorney.

“As a teacher and coach, Gregory

Stanczuk flagrantly used his position of trust and authority to exploit the victim, manipulating her emotionally for his own sexual gratification,” said District Attorney Jack Whelan in a press release.

Ridley School District Superintendent Lee Ann Wentzel said on Friday afternoon that Stranczuk has been placed on administrative leave while school district officials conduct a further review of the matter.

“He will not be working,” said the superintendent on Friday afternoon.

She sent a global message to students, teachers and staff Friday informing them that Stanczuk has been charged with a criminal offense that occurred off-campus. She also conveyed a message fromthe district attorney’s office asking parents that if any of them believe their children have been victimized they should contact Clark at 610-8914118.

The alleged victim told authorities that she confided in Stanczuk who would drop her off last when he was driving students home after practice. When they were alone, sometimes driving around for long periods of time, they would talk about her break-up with her boyfriend and he would allegedly try and comfort her with hugs. He also allegedly told her how similar they were, that he was “blown away” that they could relate to each other so well and that no one understood him like she did, according to the district attorney.

In the spring of 2014, the former student told detectives she became visibly upset after Stanczuk kissed her when they drove to Ridley Creek State Park. Stanczuk reportedly apologized and said, “If you don’t want me to do that, we don’t have to.” The next day they resumed their drives and he would often hold her hand, according to investigators. She said Stanczuk would often ask if she wanted to go to a hotel and when she declined, Stanczuk said he wasn’t going to stop until he got what he wanted and that “freaked her out.”

On one occasion, said the former student, after Stanczuk texted her around 2 a.m. she agreed to go with him to a hotel where they sat on the bed, talked and then both undressed. She told investigators Stanczuk performed oral sex on her but when he wanted to have intercourse with her she became upset and stated, “You have a wife and kids.” She told detectives she then got dressed and told Stanczuk she wanted to go home. The former student told detectives that the next day at school, she and Stanczuk joked about the previous night at the hotel, but that she would think about what had happened and “would cringe.”

According to investigators, in June 2014, while at a national girls track competition in Greensboro, N.C., the former student said a few of the girls were hanging out in Stanczuk’s hotel roomand he told her he was jealous because she had a new boyfriend and because he didn’t get to see her as much. When the other girls returned to their rooms, the former student told detectives, she drank three or four beers that Stanczuk had supplied, and felt “pretty tipsy.” She said when Stanczuk started moving closer to her she told him she had a boyfriend and he commented, “Sowhat, he doesn’t have to know.”

The former student told detectives that she became upset and returned to her room crying. She said Stanczuk later told her it was the stupidest thing he had ever done and the biggest mistake hehad ever made. She said communication ceased between her and the coach other than when he texted her on her birthday and she thanked him for clothing he had sent her as a present, according to detectives.

“He crossed the line between teacher and student and committed a crime by engaging in sexual behavior with his student,” said Whelan in a press release.

He commended Clark and Deputy Dist. Atty. Michael Galantino who will be prosecuting Stanczuk, for their work on the case.

Gregory Stanczuk