Letters: Six Letters and Public Comments in Support of Fired ARMS Science Teacher Erin Lawler

The Indy has received six letters and written public comments in support of recently fired Amherst Middle School science teacher Erin Lawler.  According to testimony provided at the Regional School Committee meeting on December 12, Lawler was fired by the district following a 51-A investigation into a complaint filed by a parent, for which she was exonerated of all charges. At that meeting, Interim Superintendent Doug Slaughter refused to answer questions about Lawler’s dismissal, saying that he cannot discuss personnel matters, but adding that Lawler was let go within her first 90 days of employment and that” it is legal to fire people within the first 90 days for any reason or for no cause at all.” The letters and statements that follow, testify that Lawler is a beloved, effective teacher, that she was the vicitm of a baseless retributive complaint from one parent, and demand her immediate reinstatement. The letters and public comments that we have recceived appear sequentially in the following order.

1. Public Comment from the Amherst Pelham Education Asssociation (APEA) presented at the Regional School Committee meeting of December 12.
2. Letter form Greta Biagi, sent to the Regional School Committee on December 4.
3. Public Comment from Greta Biagi, presented at the Regional School Committee meeting of December 12
4. Public Comment from Jenny Franz, presented at the Regional School Committee meeting of December 12,.
5. Letter from Jenny Franz sent to the Regional School Committee and district administrators on December 4.
6. Letter from Aline Gubrium sent to the Regional School Committee and Interim Superintendent on December 4.

APEA
The following public comment was presented in person and in writing to the Amherst Regional School Committee at their meeting of December 12, 2023.

This fall, a union member and teacher in our district was accused of alleged activities outside of school. This teacher was put on leave by the District Human Resources without an investigation. Since then, DCF has investigated and exonerated this teacher from all wrong-doing. The accusations were found to be unsubstantiated. I want to repeat, this teacher was exonerated. However, the District has fired this employee. We are asking, why is a teacher who did nothing wrong still not back in the classroom? Our students have been without their teacher for weeks. Over 50 school employees have signed a letter advocating for this teacher’s reinstatement.  As School Committee members, we ask that you involve yourself to ensure the fair treatment of our members. The APEA requests that the district reinstate this employee immediately.

Greta Biagi
The following letter was sent to Interim Superintendent Doug Slaughter and the Regional School Committee on December 4, 2023.

I am writing to you as the parent of a child in Team C and as a Pelham parent who has known Erin Lawler as an acquaintance for several years. 

I understand there was an allegation of misconduct made against Ms. Lawler during her first 90 days of employment as the ARMS Team C science teacher.  For this reason, I understand she was not entitled to all of the standard protections or procedures afforded a union member.

She simply disappeared one day with no explanation to our children or to the parents. According to my 7th grader, many of the students believe she has long Covid. For about a month, Team C has had no substantive science education and this is wholly unacceptable. At some point, I discovered these allegations had been made – allegations that are in no way consistent with my experience or knowledge of Ms. Lawler as a person, nor consistent with the experience my daughter has had as a student of Ms. Lawler’s. 

Most importantly from a legal standpoint however, I now understand that Ms. Lawler has been cleared of any wrongdoing after a 51A investigation. This leads me to question why she has not been reinstated immediately. Our children are not being educated and my understanding is that as School Committee and administrators, it is literally your jobs to make sure our kids are educated. We have a teacher who has been subject to obviously targeted and erroneous charges, possibly due to the gender identity of her own child, and it appears she was unceremoniously and possibly unilaterally terminated. 

Presumably, Ms. Lawler interviewed for her job and successfully passed every background screening that any teacher would. She was found qualified and competent, and was offered the job only several months ago. It appears to me that literally the only thing that has changed is that one man made what have now been proven to be baseless allegations against her for his own reasons and to further his own agenda. 

In just a couple of months, Ms. Lawler has made a positive impact on our kids through both her teaching and her empathy. When my daughter was struggling earlier this year, Ms. Lawler reached out to make sure she knew she would be supported and to let her know she could reach out any time. And to clarify, my daughter does not know Ms. Lawler in any personal capacity outside of school.  Ms. Lawler has helped to reinforce my daughter’s love for science and for school, and my daughter and many others are now losing out on the opportunity to learn from her in favor of a glorified study hall. 

I have always been outspoken in my support and sympathy for your very difficult positions as administrators and school committee members. It is hard, brutal, unforgiving work you do and I have given the benefit of the doubt many times, as I believe you are there to do good at the end of the day. I am an attorney but education is not my area of practice. That said, I try to take a pragmatic approach in the face of all the madness of the last few years but I am incensed about this issue. I want to see our children educated and I want Erin Lawler immediately reinstated, and I know I am not alone. She did nothing wrong. If she is not reinstated, you have truly wronged her.

Greta Biagi
Greta Biagi is an attorney and a resident of Pelham

The following public comment was presented in person and in writing for the Regional School Committee meeting of December 12, 2023.

I received the communication today from Talib Sadiq that Ms. Lawler will not be returning. I am appalled that this is the decision, apparently solely, of Superintendent Slaughter. The fact that this would be his determination in the face of exoneration by the Commonwealth is very disconcerting, and to be frank, it makes me feel that there is something deeper and more sinister going on. Someone is in somebody’s pocket and that is not how our schools are supposed to run. Good teachers should be hired and they should not lose their jobs because they are targeted by wrongdoers. They should not be terminated days before their probation period expires based on nothing, before an investigation is completed. A teacher should not be terminated because of other internal relationships. I believe the bogus report against Ms. Lawler was made by someone who has a relationship with one of our administrators. 

Our kids should have the opportunity to be educated by Erin Lawler; they have a relationship with her, and she was hired for good reason.

I was all in favor of Doug Slaughter taking this interim position, and now I see that there is a lot more we are not understanding. I felt that his appointment would be less divisive than several of the others who were discussed and considered. I have historically given quite a bit of deference to the administration, as I stated in my initial letter. I stand by my comment that being an administrator in any town, perhaps, particularly in a town like Amherst, is a thankless and difficult position. I now regret my assumption that the right actions would be taken. I now regret having faith in all of you. It appears there is no moral compass here. 

I will not pretend to know or understand exactly what is going on or why, but on the face of it, something is very wrong. I hope you will all take a moment or several to examine this extremely distressing situation. I hope you all will examine your own silence and possible complicity in this matter. When members of your community speaks, please do meet their gaze. Please do listen to their words. Please do stand up when you see something terribly unjust. Please do insist that Ms. Lawler be offered her position back. 

I try to stay as far away from local politics as is possible. I find myself unable to stay quiet in this moment. 

Greta Biagi
Greta Biagi is an attorney and a resident of Pelham

Jenny Franz
The following public comment was presented in-person at the Regional Scher ool Committee meeting of December 12, 2023.

Hello my name is Jenny Franz and I am parent of a 7^th grader and I also have the pleasure of being close friends with Erin Lawler.I feel it’s important to disclose my 8-year friendship with Erin and the Lawler family because this entire situation is a personal attack.

There are three major things here that concern me:

1. Erin was likely targeted due to her obligations as a mandated reporter. She was doing her job and I would prefer for teachers and staff to feel unafraid and supported by their district when doing so. It would be dangerous if fear of repercussion would make our teachers and staff afraid to make these reports.
   
   
2. Erin was likely targeted due to transphobia. Erin is a parent of a trans child. I believe it is very important to investigate whether these false allegations were made based on transphobic beliefs. I think you will find that Erin was targeted because her trans child is a friend of the accusers daughter.
   
   
3. Most importantly, let’s talk about the students. Erin Lawler was placed on leave pending an investigation. Before the investigation by DCF was done, she was fired by your district. As a side note, reports will show, DCF found no issues and Erin was cleared of all accusations. Our 7th grade students have had no science teacher since November 9. We are now one month later and no parents have been notified that the cjhildren have been receiving minimal learning through a substitute teacher for an entire month. As someone whose child is on a IEP for ADD, a month’s loss of actual learning is devastating.

Erin is an excellent teacher and her students were excited to go to class everyday. It is a shame that they have not only missed out on important curriculum, but that they have missed out on one of their favorite teachers.

Thank you for your time. I hope you will consider promptly reinstating Erin Lawler back into the district for 7th grade science.

Jenny Franz
Jenny Franz is a resident of Amherst


The following letter was sent to Interim Superintendent Doug Slaughter, The Amherst School Committee and to ARPS administrators on December 4, 2023.

I am writing to bring to your attention a matter of utmost importance regarding the recent termination of Erin Lawler, a dedicated and exemplary science educator within our school district. It has come to my attention that false accusations have led to her dismissal, and I earnestly request a thorough reconsideration of this decision.

Erin Lawler has been an integral part of our school community, consistently demonstrating professionalism, dedication, and a genuine commitment to the academic and personal growth of her students. The allegations against her are, to the best of my knowledge, unfounded and have caused unjust harm to her reputation.

I believe that a careful and impartial review of the circumstances surrounding her termination will reveal the lack of merit in the accusations. I kindly request that the school district conduct a comprehensive investigation into this matter, taking into account any evidence that can attest to Ms. Lawler’s innocence.

Moreover, it is my sincere hope that, upon a fair examination of the facts, Ms. Lawler can be reinstated to her teaching position. Her absence is keenly felt within the school, and the loss of such an experienced and dedicated educator is a disservice to both the students and the school community as a whole.

I appreciate your attention to this matter and trust that, with your commitment to fairness and justice, the truth will prevail, and Ms. Lawler will be reinstated to her rightful position.

Jenny Franz
Jenny Franz is a resident of Amherst

Aline Gubrium
The following letter was sent to the Amherst School Committee and Interim Superintendent the week of December 4.

My daughter is a 7^th grader in Erin Lawler’s science class. She has loved having Erin as a teacher – Erin is skilled at involving students in class discussions and materials and inspiring their deep interest in the scientific method – which I appreciate as a professor in community health education.

I was horrified to learn that Erin is experiencing black balling from a parent at the school and has been on leave and now fired from her position. I would think that the school would be more careful with conducting investigations and pursuing all matters related to bullying, based on the newsworthy and lawsuit-inspired case that is currently transpiring at the school regarding the denigration of LGBTQ+ students by ARMS staff and administration. 

Please know that I, and other parents, are paying attention and will do what we can to protect the livelihood and reputation of terrific teachers, like Erin, at the school. I ask that you reinstate her immediately as a 7th grade science teacher at ARMS. 

Aline Gubrium
Aline Gubrium is a resident of Amherst and Professor of Public Health at UMass