A German teacher at Mt. Lebanon High School has been charged with stealing nearly $5,000 from students who were saving for a trip to Germany. According to court papers, 55-year-old Christian Stein took the money from a bank account where he held their payments. Mt. Lebanon police said Stein had withdrawn the student money 98 times since 2010, stealing $4,812.40.
"The district does not sponsor or participate in international summer trips, which are arranged privately between trip sponsors and parents," school district spokeswoman Cissy Bowman said. "The account was not held, monitored or controlled by the district."
Stein told police "I'm sorry for what I did" and "I accept full responsibility for the funds I should not have used," and that he did it because he was having financial problems, according to the criminal complaint.
Stein is charged with theft and misapplication of property. He remains free while awaiting a preliminary hearing.
Bowman said Stein has been suspended from his teaching position with the Mt. Lebanon School District.
Stein did not answer the door at his home Friday. He called police, who told Pittsburgh's Action News 4 that he did not want to comment.
