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Date: 8/15/2023
AMHERST — The Amherst-Pelham Regional School District has been hit with a second discrimination complaint in the weeks and months following allegations against middle school staff members which resulted in an ongoing Title IX investigation, a union no confidence vote and the placement of at least four employees, including the assistant superintendent, on indefinite leave.
Lamikco Magee, a teacher at the middle school, filed a complaint on Aug. 7 with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination. Her complaint states that during her employment, she has advocated for students and employees of color in the district and subsequently was herself the subject of reprisals.
“I expressed concerns about respondent [APRSD] retaliating against employees of color and miscategorizing students of color, specifically within special education services,” she said.
Magee revealed that on Oct. 27, 2022, she had filed a complaint with Massachusetts Office of Civil Rights alleging discrimination by the district against students of color.
The complaint also cites examples of described exclusion as well as district positions where Magee was a candidate but was not selected, including the then vacant role of middle school principal.
In the complaint, Magee cites the accompanying relation and stress as her reason for resigning her role as the Special Education Curriculum leader. She is claiming retaliation for her prior allegations of racial discrimination as well as discrimination based upon race/color and sex.
Magee’s complaint follows similar allegations filed by Assistant Superintendent Doreen Cunningham, who was named in a “no confidence” vote along with Superintendent Michael Morris in connection with allegations by staff against student members of the LGBTQIA+ at the middle school. As a result, Cunningham was placed on leave by then Acting Superintendent Douglas Slaughter after Morris took a temporary medical leave. Morris returned to his post last month.
To date, the district has responded with acknowledgment of the complaint filed by Cunningham while the Title IX investigation is expected to conclude at the end of August.