The Current exists to promote open and respectful discussion of issues and tradeoffs facing the Amherst community. 

Recently a letter from 12 school administrators regarding the superintendent’s leadership garnered a great deal of attention in a story on our site, as it did in other news and opinion outlets, including the Daily Hampshire Gazette, NEPM, and MassLive. Superintendent Herman responded with a statement of her own, and the matter now rests with the school committee as it conducts its own investigation.

We have heard from several parents/caregivers who feel that the attention to this issue has given an incomplete picture of Superintendent Herman’s leadership since she began her tenure last July. They point to her 443-page entry report, released and presented to the school committees on December 17^th (Gazette coverage here), which included the following findings:

• The district is complex, with four towns and three districts (Amherst, Pelham, and Region).
• ARPS has a remarkable level of student engagement and passion for learning across all three districts. 
• Students consistently excel, with MCAS scores above state averages, thanks to dedicated teachers and engaging programs. 
• However, data shows attendance inconsistencies and achievement gaps.
• The districts’ complex fiscal and curricular structures create inefficiencies in implementation and decision-making, compounding these challenges. 

The report identifies the following areas of need and focus:

• Communication and financial systems need updating/improvement.
• Transparent systems, written protocols, and consistent accountability must replace reliance on past practices.
• The district needs to address staffing shortages, invest in professional development, eliminate inefficiencies, and prioritize equity in all practices.
• Equity challenges must be addressed “head-on” through reflection and action, not assumptions.

In the interest of broadening the conversation, we invited several parents/caregivers who commented on our story to give their perspective on Dr. Herman’s leadership to date. We will share perspectives of those who choose to share them with us, beginning with the piece below. We invite others to contribute to the conversation through comments on this post. (Comments longer than 100-150 words may be held for publication as a separate post.)

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What are we willing to do to change?

By Emily Heaphy

Like many Amherst Regional School District residents, I read the headlines about staff complaints about Dr. Herman’s leadership with interest. I also read the article with skepticism.

While I have only lived in Amherst for six years and had a child in the public schools for three, I have tried to stay abreast of school district news. What struck me about the news coverage of these complaints about Dr. Herman is that they completely ignore our own local history and specifically how it fits into the longer-term patterns of the district being an inhospitable place for women and BIPOC school leaders. 

When the district was still under the leadership of former Superintendent Michael Morris, he commissioned a study because of his concern about the high level of school leadership turnover in the Amherst Regional School District. Quoting from the report, published in January 2022:

“It is worth noting that the longest serving administrators (Superintendent and three principals) are all white men. It is also noteworthy that most of the principals who have left the district have been women.”

This report also identifies five challenges to working in the district including three directly relevant to this situation, which I provide a summary of here:

1. Public Criticism Turns Personal: a negative narrative can develop very quickly through forums such as online postings or “behind my back” in public meetings
2. Variations in Staff Relational Trust: an “us v. them” culture between staff and administrators, a lack of openness to change and a lack of accountability for “bad behavior”
3. Social Justice – Mixed Message on Meaningful Change: a stated goal of promoting racial and social justice but a lack of openness to meaningful change.

After reading this report and understanding the organizational, racial, and gender context in which these recent allegations have taken place, it is not surprising that the district’s new Black female superintendent would face criticism from staff. It is wholly predictable: district staff, taking an “us v. them” stance, personally attack the new Black female superintendent who is trying to make meaningful change in our district.

Viewed from this perspective, the focus on Dr. Herman’s leadership in light of these allegations is misplaced.  If we want to rise above the limitations of our recent past, we have to focus not on Dr. Herman, but the larger system – the staff, the School Committee, and the community. For example:

• What are the School Committee, School leadership, and the community members willing to ask of the staff who are resisting change when we are confronted with their predictable resistance to the leadership of a highly educated and competent Black woman?
• What support are leaders such as Dr. Herman owed so as not to be personally and reputationally damaged by attacks that “feel personal?”
• How can the district improve complaint processes in the district so that concerns of all kinds can be handled transparently, effectively, and in a timely manner?
• How should local news organizations incorporate our communities’ and school district’s history in articles about specific, contemporary incidents?

Some might say that my position, which questions a focus on the superintendent’s behaviors, might seem insensitive to the legitimate complaints of staff members. I am not suggesting that the community uncritically support the superintendent, whoever that might be. A robust and transparent process for investigating concerns is a critical part of any well-functioning school system. Staff safety cannot be in doubt. However, those claims, in and of themselves, should not eclipse the school district’s troubling track record of high turnover of female and BIPOC school leaders.

In closing, I mentioned to an acquaintance several months ago that Dr. Herman seemed to be doing a good job. She was just a couple of months in, and I admired her use of social media to showcase the strengths of the students and staff of the district. He replied, “She’s doing a good job? Then they will definitely get rid of her.” I was a bit shocked at the time, but he was right.

We are predictable, as the Amherst Regional School District and as a community. What are we willing to do to change?

Emily Heaphy is an Amherst resident and has a child who attended Amherst public schools.