Middle School Counselor Returns to Court Seeking Reinstatement to Workplace
The rainbow crosswalk at Amherst Regional Middle School. Photo: Art Keene
Former Middle School adjustment counselor Delinda Dykes, who was fired by the Amherst Regional Public Schools in 2023 following charges that she had harassed gay and trans students (see here, here and here), and who was ordered reinstated by an arbitrator in July of 2025, returned to court last week to argue that the reinstatement order requires that she be returned to the workplace. Dykes is currently on paid administrative leave.
The school district has filed a countermotion, citing opposition to her return from students, families, and community members arguing that allowing Dykes to return to the workplace would be harmful and not in the best interests of the students (see e.g. here and here)
Read more: Amherst Schools, Fired Counselor Back in Court over Reinstatement Fight (Daily Hampshire Gazette)
Read the full text of the arbitrator’s finding here and a summary of her decision here.