POUGHKEEPSIE – The case against Elaine Boodoo, the second-grade Ellenville Elementary School teacher who was charged with second degree harassment, was dismissed by the Dutchess County District Attorney's office in county court in Poughkeepsie on Tuesday. The case was transferred to Dutchess County because the Ulster County District Attorney's office had to recuse itself from the case because of some kind of conflict of interest that could have influenced the case. Repeated attempts to find out the nature of the conflict of interest were denied by the Ulster County District Attorney's office.

Beatriz Montalvo, who filed the charges with the Ellenville Police Department after she alleged that her son's arm was grabbed by the teacher, said that she had spoken with the Dutchess County DA's office, who informed her of the decision to dismiss the case.

"They're going to dismiss the case because there's not sufficient witnesses to pursue the case," she said.

Because the member of the district attorney's office who was handling the case was in court on Tuesday, and the Veteran's Day holiday on Wednesday, inquiries made to the office regarding the decision went unanswered.

As to what will happen next, Montalvo said that she will continue to pursue the matter.

"I'm going to keep up with this until I'm satisfied that justice is served," she said. "I'm going to get a lawyer, I'm going to keep up putting charges against her." Montalvo said that she has spoken with other parents who have called her to say they've also had experiences where their children were involved in similar altercations with the teacher to those that were alleged by Montalvo. In fact, there have also been parents of former students of Boodoo who have written into the Journal making similar allegations of the teacher, though attempts to pursue interviews with these individuals have been unsuccessful.