Former Miss Hall's Head Arraigned for Child Endangerment
Warning: this article discusses sexual assault.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A retired head of Miss Hall's School was charged with reckless child endangerment in relation to sexual abuse allegations against a former teacher.
Jeannie Norris, head of the girls' boarding school from 1996 to 2012, was arraigned on Monday for one count of reckless endangerment of a child. Now living in North Carolina, she appeared virtually before Judge James Manitsas in Berkshire Superior Court and pled not guilty.
Based on evidence collected during the investigation into allegations of abuse that occurred at the school, the Berkshire County District Attorney's Office alleges she was aware of inappropriate relationships between a teacher, Matthew Rutledge, and students attending the school. The evidence collected demonstrated that she received numerous reports of Rutledge's alleged inappropriate conduct, according to the indictment.
Rutledge, 63, was arraigned on rape charges in April of this year. Several women came forward publicly to accuse him of grooming them as teenagers and raping them.
Norris, represented by attorney Thomas Hoopes, had her physical presence waived for Monday's arraignment and for Nov. 18, when the case goes to pretrial. Reckless child endangerment is a misdemeanor that carries more than 100 days of incarceration.
The DA's Office, represented by Assistant District Attorney Joseph Yorlano, returned the indictment on July 22.
Rutledge was indicted by a Berkshire grand jury following accusations dating back to the 1990s of sexually assaulting students at the girls' school. Standing in front of the Superior Court, former students Hilary Simon and Melissa Fares that day called out the school for failing to protect them.
Rutledge was working at the day and boarding school until the allegations surfaced nearly three years ago. Pittsfield Police investigated the claims but initially concluded no charges could be brought forward because the students were 16, the age of consent in Massachusetts.
However, the Berkshire District Attorney's Office took up the investigation and, with information from a report commissioned by the school, a team of special prosecutors said they found Rutledge to have violated state law.
This prompted the passage of a bill, authored by state Rep. Leigh Davis, which closes a loophole that allowed adults in positions of authority, such as teachers, coaches, police officers, social workers, and other mandated reporters, to claim that a 16- or 17-year-old consented to sexual conduct.
The DA's office urges any other victims or anyone with information about this situation to contact law enforcement.
