Public Comment: APEA Overwhelmingly Supported No Confidence Vote Against Morris And Cunningham

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The following public comment was submitted in writing to the Amherst Regional School Committee for their meeting of July 6, 2023.
My name is Alicia Lopez; I am a teacher and a resident of Amherst.
I am writing to request that the school committee keep this spring’s events at the middle school and in the district at the forefront of your work.
As you know, in May, Amherst educators conducted and passed a vote of no confidence against Assistant School Superintendent Doreen Cunningham and School Superintendent Mike Morris. This vote was passed with more than 80% of the staff voting affirmatively, agreeing to the Amherst Pelham Education Association (APEA) letter that included both Cunningham and Morris. While at least one member of the school committee has cast doubt on the vote of no confidence, the voting process the APEA led was transparent and secure. This same member of the school committee has made anti-union comments, but as another school committee recently stated, the APEA is made up of Amherst educators who teach the children of this community and deserve respect. For the record, here is the breakdown of the APEA vote of no confidence (submitted to the RSC at the May 16 meeting):
Amherst Regional Middle School – 76% voted
98 % – yes to no confidence
2% – no
Fort River – 91% voted
95% – yes
5% – no
Pelham – 90% Voted
100% – yes
1 member abstained
Wildwood – 87% voted
85% – yes
3% – no
12% – abstain
Summit Academy – 73% voted
73% yes
27 – no
Amherst Regional High School – 50% voted (vote closed when letter was released publicly).
100% – Yes
I sincerely hope that the school committee will stand by the statement they made at the June 20 regional school committee meeting. This statement supported proactive movement for the LGBTQIA+ community in our schools and stated that the RSC will address the vote of no confidence upon the completion of the ongoing Title IX investigation. Please keep these goals in sight as you continue your work. As a member of the APEA, I appreciate the support for the APEA from most of the members of the RSC.
Lastly, some members of the RSC have been describing the recent journalism investigation by ARHS students (see also here) as tentative and pending the “real” investigation by a lawyer. Multiple media outlets, now including the Boston Globe, have re-reported on the story and have the same findings as the article in The Graphic.
It is problematic that some RSC members, and even some district administrators, are painting a real, factual, laborious, and serious investigation (with at least 26 sources) with skepticism simply because it was written by students. What does this say about how much faith these people have in our students? Please take thier reporting seriously, as the matter at hand is very serious.
Alicia Lopez
Alicia Lopez is a resident of Amherst and has been teaching at the middle school for 18 years.
The absolute lack of any response countering , attempting to explain, or even taking issue with any of Ms Lopez’ clearly worded and articulated statements is something I find quite deeply troubling.
It would appear that remaining silent when such a number of our local public figures statements, decisions and behaviors are called into question only raises more troubling questions-
Shamed into silence?
Categorically Dismissive?
Indifferent?
Intimidated?
Certainly in our town where Only the H is Silent-
What the “H” is going on ?