In Massachusetts, a dangerous legal loophole still exists.

At Miss Hall’s School in Massachusetts, former teacher Matthew Rutledge is accused of grooming and sexually abusing multiple students — some beginning when they were just 16 years old.

Under current law, a teacher can legally have sex with a 16-year-old student — even when there is a clear imbalance of power, trust, and authority.

When the case first came to light, prosecutors declined to charge him, because under Massachusetts law, 16-year-olds are considered able to consent — even with a teacher.

Let that sink in.

A teacher — someone with authority over grades, discipline, and a student’s future — can legally claim a “consensual” relationship with a 16-year-old student.

Survivors say this legal loophole allowed abuse to continue and made it harder for them to get justice.

Even now, as Rutledge faces new charges, this case exposes a system that failed to protect students when it mattered most.

We call on Massachusetts lawmakers, including the State House and Senate, to pass legislation that:

• Explicitly bans sexual relationships between teachers and students, regardless of age
• Recognizes that power imbalance makes true consent impossible
• Ensures no abuser can hide behind this loophole again

Sign this petition to say: what happened at Miss Hall’s must never happen again. Fix the law now.