Miss Hall's teacher charged with raping two female students, DA says
NBC News • • nation
Key Points:
- Matthew Rutledge, a former teacher at Miss Hall’s School in Massachusetts, has been charged with three counts of rape following allegations from two former students, Hilary Simon and Melissa Fares, who testified before a grand jury.
- The charges come nearly two years after the women initially reported the abuse, with the DA’s office previously declining to press charges due to Massachusetts law not criminalizing sexual relations between teachers and students aged 16 or older.
- An independent investigation revealed Rutledge had been reported for inappropriate behavior multiple times over two decades, with the school failing to act, and also uncovered a history of sexual misconduct by other former staff dating back to the 1940s.
- Fares and Simon have filed civil lawsuits against Miss Hall’s School and have advocated for legislative changes to hold authority figures criminally accountable even when the student is above the age of consent.
- The Berkshire County District Attorney’s Office is continuing its investigation into Rutledge and potential misconduct by other staff members, with a formal summons and arraignment forthcoming.
.jpg%3Fwidth%3D1200%26height%3D630%26fit%3Dcrop%26enable%3Dupscale%26auto%3Dwebp?format=webp&w=120&h=80)
