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Date: 5/30/2023
AMHERST — In one of his first actions since his appointment, acting School Superintendent Douglas Slaughter sent a letter to the Amherst, Pelham and Amherst-Pelham Regional Schools community informing them that Assistant Superintendent of Diversity, Equity and Human Resources Doreen Cunningham had been placed on administrative leave.
The letter, sent on May 22, also indicated that Cunningham would remain on leave pending the conclusion of an active Title IX investigation into allegations concerning staff members at the middle school and interactions with a transgender child.
Slaughter, the district’s finance director, was chosen on May 18 by a joint board of the Union 26 and regional school committees to fill the vacancy left by Superintendent Michael Morris, who went on medical leave following the investigation, which began in April, and a vote of no confidence by the Amherst-Pelham Education Association, the union representing educators and school staff members. The same union has also called for Cunningham’s resignation.
In his letter, Slaughter expressed his desire to move ahead with the remainder of the school year.
“As the districts’ finance director and an employee of ARPS for 17 years, I care deeply about our students, families and staff and am honored to serve in this role,” he wrote. “I look forward to working with everyone in the ARPS community to bring the 2022-2023 school year to a joyful conclusion that celebrates not just our students’ milestones, such as graduation, but also their countless daily successes and achievements.”
Cunningham, who has received public support as well as additional calls for her departure, spoke before the joint school committee meeting on May 16, determined to stay in place.
“I am not resigning,” Cunningham said before the committee members and a packed room at the ARHS library. “And I am looking to the possibility of working with the community to make the necessary changes.”
In his letter, Slaughter indicated that no other details would be forthcoming for the time being.
“Since this is a personnel matter, no further information can be shared until the investigation is complete and the district receives the independent investigator’s final report,” he wrote.