In-person learning and COVID-19 has fostered a protracted conflict in Amherst Updated Dec 11, 2020; AMHERST – A protracted conflict involving teachers union, school committee and hundreds of parents -– related to remote-only learning and COVID-19 public health concerns -- grew more polarized this past week: a teacher accused parents of “harassment,” after a letter signed by dozens of parents was emailed to teachers. The letter thanked teachers for their efforts during the pandemic. It also said the teachers union should be negotiating with the school board -- to jointly figure out a safe way to bring children back to campus, given the failures of remote-only learning -- and urged teachers to encourage union leadership to do so.