No Charges for Former Miss Hall's Teacher

Matthew Rutledge, a former history teacher at Miss Hall's School in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, will not face criminal charges despite accusations of grooming and sexually abusing multiple students over nearly two decades. The Berkshire District Attorney's Office concluded that Rutledge's alleged conduct, while deeply troubling, did not violate Massachusetts law since the age of consent is 16. Rutledge reportedly began grooming two of the victims when they were 14 and 15, but any sexual relations commenced only after they turned 16. The case has sparked outrage, with attorney Eric MacLeish criticizing the consent laws as inadequate for protecting students from authority figures. Rutledge resigned from his teaching position in March after allegations became public, and the investigation into the claims was described as complex and thorough. The allegations involved five women, with the incidents spanning from 1992 to 2010.