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Former Spanish Lecturer Sues Amherst College Over Dismissal

NORTHAMPTON, Mass. ― A former Spanish language lecturer at Amherst College alleges in a lawsuit against the school and her ex-supervisor that she lost her job after sticking up for teaching assistants who said they were encouraged to sleep with students to increase enrollment.

The suit filed in Hampshire Superior Court by Dimaris Barrios-Beltran seeks damages for lost wages and emotional distress.

Barrios-Beltran says in her complaint that she suffered retaliation and discrimination after raising concerns about sexual harassment experienced by teaching assistants in the Spanish department. She said “lack of enrollment” was cited when she was not rehired. She currently teaches at Mount Holyoke College.

The college said in a statement to The Daily Hampshire Gazette that it does not comment on pending litigation.

The ex-supervisor no longer works at the college.

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