(BUFFALO, NEW YORK) – In the wake of a recent shooting/stabbing that occurred outside McKinley High School, the Buffalo Teachers Federation’s (BTF) Board of Delegates Thursday evening (February 17th) issued a vote of ‘no confidence’ in the leadership of Schools Superintendent Dr. Kriner Cash. 

In addition, the BTF also called for the establishment of a permanent Safety/Security Committee on each public school site and reiterated its support for both a New York State & Federal investigation into student violence in Buffalo’s Public School System.

The BTF response comes after a student was stabbed and a security guard was shot outside McKinley High School last week.  Two teenagers have been charged.

Based on what is contained in the “No Confidence” Resolution passed by the BTF Council of Delegates, representatives from all public schools, Buffalo Teachers “No longer have confidence that these dangerous and serious conditions will improve under Superintendent Dr. Kriner Cash’s leadership,” BTF President Phil Rumore said in a released statement.

“We appreciate many of the things Superintendent Dr. Cash has accomplished - however, many calls for increased security and the increasing serious acts of violence, as delineated in the resolution, have been inadequately addressed and gotten worse.  Ultimately, this is and was the responsibility of the Superintendent,” Rumore said.

Prior to Thursday evening’s BTF Board of Delegates meeting, Rumore told WNYLaborToday.com that there are “a lot of problems” with school violence in the City’s Buffalo Schools - and not just at McKinley High School.

For example, on January 21st, Rumore said a female student told a Teacher: “I am not like other students, I will violate you.  Watch out for me.”

That student was not formally suspended and was returned to class three days later, he said.

Then three days later, on January 24th, a Teacher attempted to separate a couple of girls fighting, but was pushed to the ground and kicked by a student. 

The unidentified Teacher is currently recovering from her injuries.

“The Teacher ‘tried to break up a fight and was thrown to the floor, where another student kicked her while she was on the ground.’  (The Teacher) ‘is getting better, but it’s scary,’” he said.

“But there are ‘a lot of other problems,’” Rumore continued.  “Reports of students ‘having sex in the bathrooms’ is another.  ‘We’ve called for more’ Security Officers ‘and more consequences (for students) so they don’t do it again.’”

The BTF’s call for the establishment of a permanent Safety/Security Committee on each public school site is “important,” Rumore said, because it would also involve and include parents of students, Teachers and Staff, who would vote on recommendations to send to the School District that would have to acted upon within 30 days “so we can be safe and stay safe.”

Meanwhile, Rumore took issue and criticized Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown, who publicly disagreed with the BTF’s call for a State and Federal investigation into Buffalo’s Public Schools and asked aloud during a news conference after the McKinley High School shooting what the BTF “was doing” to make sure city schoolkids were safe in Buffalo’s Public Schools.

“We’re ‘doing all we can,’” Rumore said of the BTF’s and its Member Teachers.  “We’ve’ been telling (Mayor Brown) what the problems are and he has barely increased city funding to schools over the past three years.’  (The BTF) ‘can’t hire’ Security Officers.  ‘He ought to be ashamed of himself.’  Our ‘hope’ is the State and Feds ‘will’ investigate.  ‘And we will follow up, along with parents, to see what they are doing and to try to get them to do what’s right.’”

For More On The BTF Council of Delegates Actions, Go To: http://www.btfny.org/press/2022/press_21722_1.pdf,     http://www.btfny.org/press/2022/press_21722_2.pdf and   http://www.btfny.org/press/2022/press_21722_3.pdf.