NISKAYUNA — The Niskayuna Democratic Committee is facing criticism after promoting a since-controversial event via email.
But in a twist, Dickerson admitted to meeting former students from Catholic Central High School — adult women — at a Cohoes bar in 2017 and non-consensually touching them while in a drunken state.
Shortly after the situation blew up, Niskayuna Republican Committee officials obtained a leaked screenshot of the email over the Dickerson event and sniped at Democrats over platforming the since-resigned teacher.
“We demand that local Democratic leaders publicly condemn Dickerson’s actions and explain why they chose to promote a disgraced teacher as their spokesperson,” Niskayuna Republican Committee Chairwoman Hannie Santana said in a statement.
Niskayuna Democratic Committee Chairwoman Tina Lee considers the former teacher’s comments “disturbing.” She said that the party had no role over organizing and executing the event.
“It’s shocking that the Niskayuna Republican Committee would, for partisan political purposes, try to redirect responsibility for this serious Niskayuna High School problem,” Lee told The Daily Gazette in an email.
Lee explained that the mass email about the event was only passed along in case committee members were interested.
“We learned of Dickerson’s event and shared it,” Lee said.
The March 9 email, which went out at 11:21 a.m., was topped with “ACTION TODAY - Nisky Dems and volunteers.” A bright red banner read “No Limits* / except for Civil Liberties.*”
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“Yesterday, this message was forwarded from friends in support of Michael Dickerson's efforts to speak up, exercise his first amendment rights, and express what has been on many people's minds,” read the email from the Niskayuna Democratic Committee.
Dickerson’s image had become known in Democratic circles for speaking out against the second Trump administration. Last month, a viral clip spread of him vivaciously speaking out in front of U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko, D-Amsterdam, at an Albany town hall meeting.
The teacher ditched school for three days to participate in a Washington, D.C., rally. He explained his absence to students on Google Classroom — an act that, according to him, ticked off the district. He was suspended on March 6.
In addition to making his political views clear, Dickerson had twice published a full-page Daily Gazette advertisement, imploring the district to consider his candidacy for high school principal despite the fact that he doesn’t possess the requisite qualifications. Those ads were published on March 8 and 9.
For Santana, the Niskayuna Republican Committee chair, this should’ve been a warning sign.
“He placed an ad in the Daily Gazette ranting about John Rickert and his desire to be the Niskayuna High School principal without the appropriate credentials and state certifications,” Santana said. “This is a major red flag.”
Outspoken GOP committee member Linda Rizzo believes that Dickerson’s public behavior should have tipped off members of her former party. She was a Democrat from 2012 to 2023.
“I would say right there, that was a red flag, and that should have been enough for the Democratic chair not to send any notice about the rally,” Rizzo said.
In the full-page advertisement, Rizzo considers references to Rickert, an outgoing high school principal running on the GOP ticket against incumbent Erin Cassady Dorion for supervisor, to be election fodder.
Rickert declined to comment on this story. He said that he’ll be more open about the situation once he retires from the school district this summer.
“I can’t speak about a lot of different topics right now as a loyal employee to the school, I'm just staying out of,” he said. “On July 12th when I'm not a school employee anymore at that point, I'd be happy to talk with you about anything.”
A personnel issue, the district has been mum over details regarding the Dickerson controversy. The case is currently under an internal investigation.
