Police Intervene to Quell Altercation at Amherst Middle School
Photo: amherstma.gov
Police were called to the Amherst Regional Middle School (ARMS) on Thursday, May 1 to quell an altercation that started among students and grew to include school staff and caregivers. Superintendent E. Xiomara Herman (Dr. Xi) reported that staff members were injured during the altercation, and said that, “ out of an abundance of caution, and in order to keep everyone safe, the school issued a shelter-in-place and called Amherst Police Department (APD) while the situation was de-escalated. The APD responded quickly and have been working with us as we review what happened.” Herman added that her leadership team, including all middle school leaders, is actively investigating the situation and will use all available data to develop preventative measures that ensure the safety of both students and staff.
Herman reported the incident to all ARMS families on Thursday afternoon and also posted her communication on Parent Square.
Herman’s communication to ARMS families is reproduced below.
| May 1, 2025 Greetings Amherst Regional Middle School Families and Community, This afternoon, there was an altercation involving several students at Amherst Regional Middle School. Unfortunately, during the course of the altercation, various staff members were injured. The situation then escalated further when caregivers of the students became involved. Out of an abundance of caution, and in order to keep everyone safe, the school issued a shelter-in-place and called Amherst Police Department (APD) while the situation was de-escalated. The APD responded quickly and have been working with us as we review what happened. I want to be clear—this kind of behavior is deeply concerning and not reflective of the safe, respectful, and student-centered environment we strive to create each day. We are currently working with staff and local authorities to fully understand the circumstances and will share additional information as we are able. Please know that student and staff safety remain my top priority, and this matter will be taken seriously from my level. As a school community, it’s important that we take this moment to reflect together. Our children are watching us—how we handle conflict, how we treat one another, and how we show up in difficult moments. It’s on all of us to model respectful and productive ways to engage, even when emotions are high. I truly believe we can do better—and that together, we can help guide our students toward healthier ways of resolving issues. In the coming weeks, the district will be sharing a Caregiver Code of Conduct. This document will outline shared expectations for how families and schools can work together—especially on school grounds—as partners in creating safe and supportive learning environments. I appreciate your continued support and care for our students. If you have immediate concerns or questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the ARMS administrative team or my office directly. With appreciation, Dr. Xi Superintendent Amherst-Pelham Regional Public Schools |
Thank goodness Dr. Xi is our superintendent. With a few words she puts the focus where it belongs, our community’s children and what they are learning from the adults in their lives.
This unfortunate school altercation prompts me to ask whether a student bystander videotaped the event with their personal cell phone or actually called for help and is the video content being used in the investigation? If so this stands to highlight the safety role student cell phones can play in the event of a security issue like this. I agree with the downside of student cell phone use during school hours and support a policy requiring phones to be off but I do not support banning cell phones from staying with the child. Just the mere knowledge that cell phones are in a school building could be deterrent for potential security and safety breaches. Currently there is proposed Massachusetts legislation called the Study Act to ban cell phones altogether from all schools. Proponents are claiming schools are safer without cell phones present. I do not understand that premise.