Miss Hall’s School Abuse Survivors Working To Protect Teens From Predator Teachers

They led nan complaint to sound nan siren connected and free Miss Hall’s School of a coach who they allege preyed connected them. They felt validated erstwhile an independent investigation concluded that administrators astatine nan posh backstage Massachusetts schoolhouse grounded to protect them and different female students from an accused intersexual predator.

But Melissa Fares and Hilary Simon opportunity nan 60-page report, which was released past week pursuing an investigation by Maine rule patient Aleta, brought them small successful nan measurement of closure.

They person to unrecorded pinch nan knowledge that their alleged tormentor, Matthew Rutledge, who has besides been accused successful nan study of grooming 3 different erstwhile Miss Hall’s School students for sex, will apt ne'er beryllium charged pinch a crime because nan property of consent successful Massachusetts is 16.

“When nan study came out, I recovered myself holding truthful galore different emotions astatine once,” Fares, 33, said. “I wish nan study could person said here’s your younker back. But that clip is gone and we’ll ne'er get it back.”

Simon, 38, echoed Fares.

“These findings corroborate what I already knew from my lived experience,” she said. “At nan aforesaid time, I consciousness a heavy consciousness of validation, thing survivors seldom experience.”

But Fares’ and Simon’s conflict for justness isn’t over. In summation to having an unfastened suit against nan school, nan women are moving to thief get support for a measure authorities lawmakers person introduced that would let for group for illustration teachers successful positions of powerfulness to beryllium held criminally responsible, moreover if nan student has reached nan property of consent.

Facing an uproar aft Fares and Simon came guardant successful 2024 pinch allegations that Rutledge had groomed them for activity erstwhile they were teenage students, Miss Hall’s School hired nan rule patient to analyse nan allegations.

The study recovered that Rutledge was reported to schoolhouse activity aggregate times and that nan schoolhouse grounded to act. It besides specifications different cases of intersexual misconduct going backmost to nan 1940s against students by different erstwhile staffers astatine nan venerable boarding and time schoolhouse for girls successful Pittsfield, wherever tuition is upward of $75,000 a twelvemonth for students who committee there.

“Miss Hall’s received accusation connected respective abstracted occasions successful nan precocious 1990s and mid-2000s astir Rutledge’s inappropriate relationships and interactions pinch students,” nan study states. “The grounds supports that nan School’s activity grounded to adequately analyse and respond to nan reported information.”

Rutledge, nan study added, was a known amount astatine nan school. He was a “larger than life” fig who, astatine various times, served arsenic a teacher, coach, resident, advisor and section chair, and who was known to bellow “make measurement for Mr. Wonderful” arsenic he “bounded” down nan hallways, nan study stated.

Head of School Julie Heaton issued an apology connected behalf of nan schoolhouse and herself aft nan study was released.

“The investigation revealed horrible truths astir a organization we clasp beloved and brought astir individual and organization reckoning,” Heaton wrote.

Heaton, who has been successful her station since 2014, admitted she excessively “did not do capable to protect nan wellbeing of students.”

Fares and Simon said Heaton’s apology was precocious successful coming.

“I don’t spot nan publication of this study arsenic closing nan doorway connected my fight,” said Fares, who filed a civilian lawsuit past October successful Berkshire County Superior Court against Rutledge, Miss Hall’s School, erstwhile caput of schoolhouse Jeannie Norris and 3 different women affiliated pinch nan schoolhouse and identified successful nan tribunal papers arsenic Jane Doe 1, 2 and 3. That lawsuit is still pending.

“But it was bully to see, successful writing, that our claims astir what happened to america were substantiated,” Fares said. “I besides felt immoderate pride. It’s scary to deliberation that if I hadn’t travel forward, this could still beryllium happening astatine nan school.”

Norris, done her lawyer, declined to remark connected Fares’ civilian lawsuit.

Meanwhile, nan Miss Hall’s School Board of Trustees released a connection connected Fares’ lawsuit.

“Out of respect for nan erstwhile students and Survivors progressive and to support nan integrity of nan ineligible process, Miss Hall’s School will not remark connected immoderate pending litigation,” it said.

In March 2024, Fares reported to nan schoolhouse management that Rutledge, 63, sexually abused and exploited her some erstwhile she was a student and aft she graduated. The schoolhouse placed Rutledge connected administrative leave and he later resigned. Rutledge taught astatine nan schoolhouse from 1991 to 2024.

Fares besides posted past April successful a backstage Facebook group for Miss Hall’s School alumni that she had reported Rutledge to nan school.

At nan aforesaid time, nan Berkshire District Attorney’s Office announced it was opening an investigation into nan allegations against Rutledge. In October, it concluded that nary crime had occurred because nan accusers were astatine slightest 16 years aged astatine nan clip of nan incidents.

“Massachusetts rule defines nan property of consent arsenic 16. While nan alleged behaviour is profoundly troubling, it is not illegal,” District Attorney Timothy Shugrue said successful a statement.

Now, Simon and Fares person group their sights connected getting nan authorities of Massachusetts to walk a rule that will make it imaginable to prosecute teachers for illustration Rutledge, who has not been charged pinch a crime contempt allegations he groomed astatine slightest 3 different erstwhile Miss Hall’s School students for activity betwixt 1991 and 2024.

The bills that Simon and Fares are backing, sponsored by authorities Rep. Leigh Davis and authorities Sen. Joan Lovely, some Democrats, would make it a crime for adults successful positions of authority aliases spot to person activity pinch older teenagers moreover though nan state’s property of consent is 16.

“Right now successful Massachusetts, a teacher, a coach aliases a leader tin legally person activity pinch a 16 aliases 17-year-old successful their attraction and declare it was consensual,” Davis said during a caller proceeding earlier nan Legislature’s Joint Committee connected nan Judiciary. “That’s not consent. It’s exploitation.”

Simon said she is convinced Rutledge knew what he was doing by waiting until aft she was 16 earlier nan narration turned sexual.

“I started schoolhouse erstwhile I was 14, he started grooming maine erstwhile I was 15, and he waited until aft I was 16 to person activity pinch me,” Simon said. “I deliberation he had to cognize nan property of consent successful Massachusetts is 16 and that it provided him cover. If anybody accused him of preying connected students, I deliberation he knew he could usage property of consent arsenic a defense.”

A lawyer for Rutledge said, “We do not person immoderate comment.”

“This will ne'er make immoderate consciousness to me; that, contempt nan complete power he had complete me, he won’t beryllium prosecuted because nan property of consent successful Massachusetts is 16,” Fares said. “I didn’t springiness my consent. He stole my virginity and truthful overmuch more.”

Fares said she is alert that amending nan rule will not clear a way for “prosecuting Matt Rutledge for what he did to us.”

“But, astatine nan very least, they would protect early students from nan aforesaid maltreatment of power,” she said.