AMHERST — An end-of-year event at Amherst Regional Middle School is drawing criticism after students were directed to a counselor whom some LGBTQIA+ students were prohibited from contacting because of no-contact orders stemming from an earlier Title IX case.
Critics say the event sent a mixed message during Pride Month, publicly celebrating LGBTQIA+ students while directing some of them to a staff member they were barred from approaching.
The school had been celebrating Pride Month throughout June, with rainbow-themed displays in the lobby promoting events and honoring LGBTQIA+ figures including actress Lena Waithe, basketball player Jason Collins, activist Bayard Rustin and former NFL player Carl Nassib.
But a poster for the student group Scholars on the Move invited students to see middle school counselor Delinda Dykes for Italian ice, potato chips and a surprise.
Dykes returned to the middle school this year after an arbitrator reinstated her following her 2023 termination. A Title IX investigation found she had misgendered students and made inappropriate comments related to gender identity and sexual orientation. Some students were issued no-contact orders prohibiting interactions with her.
Numerous members of the LGBTQIA+ Caucus of Amherst, joined by other residents and leaders of Hampshire Pride, brought their concerns directly to the Amherst Regional School Committee at a meeting in June.
“The climate at the middle school is unhealthy and it is impacting students and staff, and it has become an unsafe place for queer and trans people,” said Ali Wicks-Lim, a member of the LGBTQIA+ Caucus that coordinated a rally before the meeting.
“If in Amherst, where the ‘h’ is silent, if the students don’t feel safe and the staff don’t feel safe, and the volunteers don’t feel safe, that’s a problem,” said Eve Bogdanove, the former executive director of the Men’s Resource Center. “This is Massachusetts; we live here for a reason.”
That students would have to approach Dykes to get information about the event is concerning and exclusionary, people who spoke at the school committee meeting said.
Clay Pearson, founder of Hampshire Pride and dubbed the Gayor of Northampton, is a caretaker for an Amherst student. Pearson sees this as Amherst gaslighting students into thinking they are safe at school.
Pearson called the poster an uninvited display that was exclusionary and the organizers had “rainbow washed themselves.”
“The message students received was clear: inclusion is celebrated publicly, but not consistently practiced,” Pearson said.
Alyssa Ranker of Holyoke, a former staff member at the high school, said there is failure when students, staff and volunteers are not protected.
“The way things are going in this school system right now isn’t working,” said Emily Pfeiffer, the parent of a former student. “There don’t seem to be successful efforts to rein in actions that other queer students.”
Other longtime residents, some who moved to town because it’s a welcoming place for gays and lesbians, were upset by this, such as Nancy Sardeson of North Amherst. “We’re the adults in the room. Do something, please,” Sardeson said.
Carol Lewis of East Amherst said students were left with an, at-best, mixed message about whether they are safe or are being targeted.
“Amherst can do better than this. I strongly urge the school committee to investigate its options so this lack of safety does not continue another day,” Lewis said.
Amy Cronin DiCaprio, a parent of two students an acting spokesperson for the LGBTQIA+ Caucus, said the simple message is queer and trans students and staff deserve safety and protections within systems where they learn, work and advocate.
“Over the past several weeks, members of the caucus have absorbed a pattern of behavior by a staff member and a lack of accountability for rules broken that has caused harm to LGBTQIA students, staff, volunteers and community members,” DiCaprio said.
The other contention focused on a harassment prevention order, sought by a staff member at the school, against Wicks-Lim, who has been advocating for students and helped organize some Pride Month activities.
Wicks-Lim said this is the direct result of a system that is failing to protect queer and trans people, and when systems fail, individuals become vulnerable. This has a chilling and silencing effect on actions.
Jeannette Wicks-Lim described the difficulties caused for her family by putting a harassment prevention order out, with law enforcement showing up at her home causing general chaos and upheaval for the family.
The comments came on a night where Superintendent E. Xiomara Herman presented the School Climate Data Collection and Analysis Plan, which will provide the district with data, perspectives and lived experiences that will help inform the work of advisory and working groups, school leadership teams and future district improvement efforts.
This plan will also have a specific focus on the middle school, according to a memo Herman wrote:
“While climate data collection will occur districtwide, Amherst Regional Middle School requires additional and more targeted support. Recent events and community concerns have highlighted the need for a more focused approach to examining school climate, student experiences, belonging, accountability and restorative practices within the middle school setting.
She continued, “To support this work, the district has partnered with the Joy and Justice in Schools Program through the Collaborative for Educational Services. This partnership provides expertise in climate assessment, facilitation, restorative approaches, equity-centered practices and organizational improvement.”
Members of the school committee appeared supportive of Herman’s plan, but observed that time is running out to deal with the problems at the middle school described by those who came to the meeting.
“We’re out of runway now on changing behaviors in the schools, changing behaviors of staff,” said Leverett representative Tim Shores.
“Now we’re in a crisis, now we need to see serious action,” Shores added.
Amherst representative Bridget Hynes said the schools need to address problems immediately. “These kids can’t wait another day, we can’t have situations like what we heard,” Hynes said.
Shutesbury representative Anna Heard said the district needs to double down on implementation and accountability, and Herman’s plan should have been developed a while ago.
“This feels like it’s two years too late, and I really wish this had been done two years ago,” Heard said.
