In the spring of 2024, Miss Hall’s School graduates Melissa Fares and Hilary Simon put faces and names to years of allegations of grooming and rape at the hands of former teacher Matthew Rutledge. Now, a 60-page report by a law firm commissioned by the school supports Fares’ and Simon’s claims as well as claims against seven other school employees over the decades since Miss Hall’s founding in 1898.
“It wasn't surprising, but it was definitely devastating. It was my lived experience, and finally, I saw it put into the record what I've carried in silence for over two decades," Simon told WAMC. “The report lays bare decades of abuse and betrayal at Miss Hall’s and tells my own story.”
In addition to harrowing accounts of abuse at the hands of Rutledge and other staffers tasked with caring for students, the report highlights strenuous efforts from administrators like former head of school Jeannie Norris to crack down on any attempt to call out the malfeasance.
“I think what's especially hard for me to come to terms with is that so much of this failure came from women, from people I thought would understand- And I don't know, I'm having a really hard time wrapping my mind around it. It feels like a deeper kind of betrayal. So much of what was shared by students was just dismissed by faculty and staff as mere gossip, and it's extremely belittling and deeply wrong. And I think there's such an irony here that's impossible to ignore, which is that at Miss Hall’s, we were taught to use our voices to advocate for ourselves, to have agency, to feel and be empowered- But when we, all of these girls tried to do exactly that, when they reported inappropriate or suspicious behavior, they were totally shut down," Fares told WAMC. “They were literally told, go to your room, write a letter of apology, they were told, you made this up. So over and over again, we were punished for speaking up and silenced and disempowered.”
Miss Hall’s confirmed to WAMC that the school’s board of trustees is standing by the current head of school, Julia Heaton, and board president Nancy Ault. That supports comes even as the report says school leaders failed for years to act on claims of misconduct, something that still disturbs Fares.
“Julia Heaton and Nancy Ault, I appreciate their acknowledgement of wrongdoing, and there's a part of me that does believe it's sincere, but it doesn't change the fact that they failed to listen when it mattered most, and because of that, many people suffered and felt really hurt," she explained. "There are a lot of people that are angry that they're staying on, and I can understand why, but I also hope that having lived through this crisis firsthand, having heard survivor stories directly, including my own, and having apologized for their role in it, they can lead with a greater vigilance and accountability than someone who hasn't experienced it up close, but I would definitely say all eyes are on you.”
Fares and Simon are backing legislative efforts to fill gaps in Massachusetts law that Berkshire County District Attorney Timothy Shugrue claimed made it impossible to prosecute Rutledge after an investigation last year.
“Right now, authority figures and teachers are not able to be held accountable when a student is above the age of consent, which is 16 in Massachusetts, and this case and this report highlights why that is such a dangerous loophole," said Simon. "Students, minors can't ever consent to sexual contact when the individual is an authority figure. And I think that I have to look at this as like a forward-thinking movement, and it's to protect the next generation. So, I'm going to keep speaking out, regardless of whether Matthew Rutledge is held accountable, it's about the next generation.”
Fares is still shocked that her credible account of sexual assault did not translate into action by Shugrue’s office.
“Reporting what happened to me to the police twice took so much out of me," she said. "The process having to relive everything is absolutely grueling, and then to be told, well, you were 16, the age of consent in Massachusetts, sorry, there's nothing we can do, felt so invalidating and backwards.”
The DA’s office says it is now reviewing the school-commissioned Aleta Law report, which contains multiple references to Rutledge forcing himself on students at Miss Hall’s.
WAMC asked both survivors what they would say to their younger selves still trapped in Miss Hall’s culture of abuse, silence, and repression.
“That I'm finally reclaiming my voice, and the damage was real, but so is the healing, and I want that message to be louder than the silence ever was,” said Simon.
“I'd say I'm so sorry," said Fares. I'm so sorry so many people failed you. I'm sorry I can't take it all back for you, but if I could, believe me I would. I love you, and I'll continue to fight for you so that we can heal together. I'd say, you're free now, and you don't have to be afraid anymore. You're safe, and I got you.”
