Public Comment: Will The School District Step up and Protect LGBTQIA+ Students?

The following public comment was read at the meeting of the Amherst Regional School Committee on June 23, 2026., It was one of 32 public comments presented and was read by Amy Cronin-DiCaprio on behalf of the LGBTQIA+ Caucus of Amherst.

The LGBTQIA+ Caucus of Amherst organized tonight’s rally to send a simple message: queer and trans students, staff, families, advocates, and community members deserve safety and protection within the systems where they learn, work, and advocate.

Over the past several weeks, members of the caucus have observed 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. For some, fear of retaliation stands in the way of reporting, but others have reported and have seen no evidence of consequences or change. 

Some students have been denied access to opportunities, activities, and rewards because protecting themselves from contact with this staff member required them to opt out. Volunteers have been harassed while supporting students. Complaints have been submitted to the administration, and we have yet to receive a meaningful response.

We believe many people within the district genuinely want to support LGBTQIA+ students. But good intentions are not enough. When harmful behavior continues without accountability, the system fails, and students and community members become vulnerable.

Last week, these concerns escalated further when a queer community advocate and volunteer was served by police with a harassment prevention order sought by a staff member. The advocate was required to appear in court, and the petition was ultimately terminated when the burden of proof was not met.

Whatever its intent, the result was clear: a community member who has spent years advocating for LGBTQIA+ students was forced to defend themselves in court. That experience sends a clear message that even LGBTQIA+  adults are not safe at ARMS, and has had a chilling and silencing effect on others who may be considering speaking up on behalf of students. 

This is bigger than any one incident or any one individual. It is about whether the district is willing and able to respond when concerns are raised, whether policies are being implemented consistently, and whether accountability exists when harm occurs.

The district has adopted policies addressing harassment, bullying, discrimination, and identity-based harm. Those policies are not symbolic statements. They are commitments to students. The community deserves to understand how those commitments are being implemented, enforced, and measured.

We therefore call upon the superintendent to provide a public report on how these policies are functioning in practice, including reporting procedures, investigation timelines, staff training, accountability measures, ensuring inclusion at school events, and protections for students and staff who experience harm. We will submit more specific language around this ask following this meeting. 

Three years ago, students, families, and community members saw an emergency and sounded the alarm about the treatment of queer and trans students at Amherst Regional Middle School. The cost of ignoring those warnings was profound. Staff and community members have been sounding the alarms again, and the harm has continued. In order to not repeat history we need you to recognize the emergency, and address it. 

Students deserve more than promises. They deserve systems that work, accountability when harm occurs, and confidence that the adults entrusted with their education will protect them.

This public comment is a collective effort of members of the LGBTQIA+ Caucus of Amherst.

The LGBTQIA+ Caucus of Amherst is a grassroots group formed in the fall of 2023 in response to a clear need to push for transparency, accountability, and equity from the local administration, and to mobilize greater advocacy and support for queer and trans students.  The Caucus works with the community, including Amherst Regional Public Schools staff and administration to identify and meet the needs of LGBTQIA+ students. To protect its members from potential retaliation and intimidation within the community, the Caucus operates with an anonymous membership structure relying on a  designated spokesperson for public communication. Caucus spokesperson Ali Wicks-Lim (they/them) can be contacted at CaucusLGBTQIA@gmail.com.