(BUFFALO, NEW YORK) – The Buffalo Teachers Federation (BTF) is seeking court action to stop the opening of Buffalo’s Public Schools on Monday (February 1st) over the health and safety of students and Staff due to the Coronavirus Pandemic, arguing “serious concerns must first be addressed” before students are allowed to return.

BTF President Phil Rumore released the following statement:

“Legal action will be taken to prevent the unsafe opening of schools on Monday, February 1st, 2021.  Two attorneys and has been working with our Staff to prevent the reopening of our schools.  All Buffalo Teachers miss their students and want to be back with them – however, they want to be confident the teaching and learning conditions are and remain safe for their students, parents, Staff, community and themselves.  We have sent information to the District in an effort to work with them to resolve serious safety and health concerns.  Some health concerns have been addressed – however, the Teachers at each school/site have not received written assurance that the safety and health issues they have raised at their school/site have been addressed.  To ensure our schools/sites provide for a healthful and safe return, the BTF will seek court action to prevent the unsafe return of students and Staff until such time as the serious safety and health issues have been and remain corrected.”

The BTF had sent the following memo to Buffalo Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Kriner Cash, Members of the Buffalo Board of Education and Buffalo Public School Members on January 22nd regarding an updated BTF Health and Safety Assessment Resolution that has been passed by the Union’s Council of Delegates:

In an effort to inform you of health and safety concerns raised by Teachers, so that they can be corrected to ensure the safe return of students and Staff to the schools/sites, enclosed, please find an updated compilation of serious health and safety issues in schools/sites (Click Here).

Where there are no responses to a question, the Teacher could not obtain the information.

This document includes the schools/sites contained in the previous document sent to you on January 15th, 2021.

At the end is a summary of the document.

The meeting of our Council of Delegates (Building/Site Representatives) lasted from 7 p.m. to approximately 9:45 p.m.

Almost the entire meeting was devoted to Teachers raising serious health and safety concerns relating to the reopening of their schools/sites.

There were also concerns relating to educational issues such as insufficient equipment - i.e. computers, charging stations, training for simultaneous in-person/virtual instruction, etc.

Many were concerned that the District had not provided the Teachers with a written response to the health and safety concerns they raised in our January 15th, 2021 correspondence to you.

Teachers very much want to be with their students; however, they want them to return to schools/sites that provide for their safe return, a return that ensures that every possible precaution has been and will continue to be taken, to ensure that there is no spread of the deadly COVID-19 virus in the schools/sites.

Enclosed, (Click Here) please find a copy of the resolution passed last evening (80 yes, 0 no).

In addition to the above and those previously submitted to the District:

Some of our “Encore Teachers” are being told to go from room-to-room to provide instruction.

Some Physical Education Teachers whose gymnasiums are being used for storage, meals, classes, etc. are also to go from room to room to provide instruction.

This exposes them to 50-plus students a day.

Teachers are being told they have to go to multiple sites each day.

Teachers are being told that they are to supervise the isolation rooms where those suspected of having COVID-19 are being sent.

Teachers are being told they must take a sick day to obtain the COVID-19 vaccination.

The Cannon Report in many cases did not take tables, sinks, lab tables, etc. into consideration when making space assessments.

The Tri-Main Building being open to the public.

We remain committed to working with you to ensure the safe return of our students and Staff and to ensure the well-being of our community.