Embattled Amherst middle school counselor continues fight for her job

AMHERST — Besieged guidance counselor Delinda Dykes has waged her own attack on the district that has refused to let her back on campus, flouting rulings by an arbitrator and a judge who found she’s entitled to return to work .

Dykes was fired in 2023 as a counselor at Amherst Regional Middle School amid allegations that she disparaged and deliberately misgendered trans students.

Dykes and the district remain in a tug-of-war about the issue, filing dueling motions on Sept. 5 — primarily with the district insisting the guidance counselor’s presence would be a detriment to students, and the plaintiff arguing she had been unfairly persecuted.

LGBTQIA+ activists rose up against the district’s initial response to the accusations, which they argued weren’t adequate or in line with protecting all students. Some took to the streets in protest.

An arbitrator ruled that Delinda Dykes can return to her job as a guidance counselor at Amherst Regional Middle School. That finding, however, is being appealed by the school district. (Submitted photo)Staff

Two years later, after a three-day hearing, an arbitrator found the Amherst-Pelham Regional Public Schools did not present enough evidence to support Dykes’ ouster. The district sought relief from a judge to stay the arbitrator’s decision, pending an appeal to vacate the ruling.

That was denied. The district barred her from the school anyhow.

An Aug. 22 letter to Dykes from Superintendent E. Xiomara “Dr. Xi” Herman contained a single sentence.

“This letter is to inform you that, effective immediately, you are being placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the district’s appeal of the arbitration decision,” the letter reads.

The letter was attached to a pleading filed by Dykes’ attorneys, which vies for a judge to affirm the arbitrator’s decision and reject the school district’s appeal.

“What the district’s application to vacate boils down to is that the district is disappointed by its failure to prove its case,” a motion filed Sept. 5 in Hampshire Superior Court reads.

In its appeal, school administrators argued a Title IX investigation was properly conducted, but Judge James Manitsas ruled the district’s motion fell “woefully short” of legal standards that would allow him to grant a stay.

Dykes issued a statement in her own defense shortly after the arbitrator’s ruling was made. In it, she proclaimed her innocence and said she was looking forward to getting back to the middle school.

Her attorneys also said Dykes unequivocally denied some of the inflammatory statements attributed to her.

Her motion also argues school administrators are thumbing their noses at a court order.

“Rather than comply with the court’s order, the district provided itself with the exact equitable remedy the court refused, namely excluding Ms. Dykes from the workplace. This was wrong,” the motion drafted by Boston attorney James A.W. Shaw reads.

Read the original article on MassLive . Add MassLive as a Preferred Source by clicking here .