Sorry, my two cents worth.
When I first heard about Ms. Hale, my thought was, you're a private school, you can do as you want. But when I heard about how it came about and that she had been with you for 19 years? Well.
Please remember that the bible counsels us to worry about the beam in our own eye before we worry about the splinter in our brother's. I don't like that you rewarded the nasty behavior on the anonymous tipster's part. (If that story is accurate.)
If she were discussing it in the classroom it would be different. But she is obviously a naturally discrete person. I hope you are struggling with this. If you're not, well you should be.
Good luck.
It may be too late in this situation, but the Japanese had a saying, back when their lives were more communal, that nakedness is often seen but seldom noticed. You don't have to notice everything someone tells you.
