Tucker's Case Dismissed

Details: Created on Wednesday, 02 April 2014 15:49; Written by Elyssa Ellis

ST. JOHNSBURY- "I am dismissing the case, I do not think there is enough evidence." Judge Robert Bent said at the hearing against Martha Tucker the Superintendent of Caledonia North Supervisory Union.

On Tuesday charges against Tucker were dismissed, who had been charged nearly a year ago, for failing to report alleged misconduct, after a student claimed a teacher had inappropriately touched her.

"You know it's been close to a year since this began, it was misguided and misinformed from the onset," Tucker said.

Principal Noah Noyes was also charged in the case and accepted a plea bargain.
Noyes took the stand at the hearing to dismiss the charges against Tucker.

When Detective Lyle Decker for the Vermont State Police took the stand he said, "They had a meeting at the school where they advised that they didn't believe that the allegation was true."
Detective Decker, was then asked if he talked to Tucker about the mandatory reporting law and whether she had made a report. He answered yes. Tucker's Attorney Pietro Lynn said the superintendent reviewed the initial information and made the decision not the report the allegation to DCF.

"She had advised that the information she had got, was that the student often is dishonest and I think she actually said that she pathologically lies," Detective Decker said.
Tuckers Attorney said to Detective Decker, "Maybe I am missing something detective but it says first of all, I don't know why the school would be doing their own investigation. You do know why the school would be doing it' own investigation, don't you."

While the criminal charges may be cleared, Tucker says her reputation is now smeared. "It's very damaging to my career, very difficult for me personally, but I've had an incredible career as an educator and don't expect for that to stop. I'm very, very, very happy with the outcome," Tucker said. Tucker's Attorney Pietro Lynn said, "We fought very hard to get to this day, it would have been much easier to accept a plea deal, we never even considered that, Martha was insistent that she have her day in court."

Tucker and Noyes have both submitted their resignations at the end of this school year. "I'm taking the summer off, I'm going to relax a whole lot, which is something I've never been really able to do and then I'll see what's next," Tucker said. As for Noyes he is currently in the running for a new job at Oxbow High School.