Public Comment: Much Work Remains to Address Bullying in Amherst Schools

The following public comment was submitted in writing for the Meeting of the Amherst School Committee on December 19, 2023.

My name is Megan St. Marie, and I am an Amherst resident and mother of 3 current ARPS students and 4 ARPS graduates. I am writing to reiterate parts of a public comment I sent in last week to the Joint Amherst-Pelham Regional and Union 26 School Committees. I am bringing these questions and comments to the Amherst School Committee after reading Superintendent Slaughter’s draft goals for 2023/2024, which are included in tonight’s agenda. One goal reads:

“Modify the online bullying reporting system to allow for the reporting of harassment (e.g., Title IX) concerns. All reported concerns will be investigated and addressed. Artifacts for School Committee review will include reporting on the counts of incidents reported and counts of determinations of bullying/harassment .”

Here are my questions and comments related to this goal, which I hope can be addressed this evening:

a) As incoming School Committee member Bridget Hynes has advocated, there needs to be a rapid response mechanism in place to immediately address reported incidents of bullying and harassment. At present, there is an online form, and as Committee Member William Sherr has reported, it is unreliable at best. We know that there have been over 30 incidents of bullying formally reported this year. It’s fair to guess that there are unreported incidents, as well. Saying that kids should take it upon themselves to find a trusted adult, and then hope that this trusted adult is empowered enough to do something to help, isn’t sufficient, as the reports about last year’s incidents demonstrate.

b) When systems are developed to formalize and improve how schools address incidents and patterns of bullying and harassment, I think they need to be standardized across schools. My understanding is that some schools consistently follow up by logging reports in a system called Educator Handbook, while others do not. It seems like it could be helpful to have consistent practices across the schools so that staff are able to use information to help stop and prevent bullying and harassment incidents before they become patterns.

c) I’ve tried to learn more about the Title IX reporting process, and my understanding is that the final step involves the preparation of a culminating document from the district called the Responsibility of Determination. When will this be completed? When will it be released to the public? And is this separate from the summary I’ve heard Superintendent Slaughter is preparing?

Megan D. Lambert St. Marie, is a resident of Amherst and parent of seven past and current ARPS students, dating back to 2004.