By Brian Trzeciak, Education Organzer with Citizen Action and AQENY

On Wednesday, Sept. 26th, Citizen Action and the Alliance for Quality Education organized a rally with parents, students, activists, and community members on the steps of the Buffalo City Hall to call for a revision to the current Code of Conduct.  Speakers delivered three demands (see below) to the Board of Education that would change school climate and reduce the disproportionate number of suspensions facing Black and Latino students in the Buffalo Public School District.

This was a definite turning point for the work that Citizen Action and AQE has been doing to see a positive change in the climate of the schools. The Associate Superintendent Dr. Will Keresztes addressed the crowd and responded to the demands by saying that the Buffalo Public School District is “shifting from a punitive system for addressing student misconduct to a restorative one base on interventions.” Dr. Keresztes also included that “it was part of your inspiration that caused us to hire four additional social workers in the spring and then seven [more] for this coming October.”

This progress is great news, and though the community is appreciative of the work that the District is putting in, there is more work that needs to be done. Citizen Action and AQE are building the power and recognition needed to stop the push out and keep students safe and in school.

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We ask the Board of Education to:

1. Revise the current Code of Conduct so that…

– the BPSD changes from a punitive (punishment-based) system of discipline to an intervention-based system so that suspension is used only as a last resort.
– it reflects a clear end of out-of-school suspension for non-violent incidents.
– it clearly defines student behavior and consequences and is specific about each.
– there is a students’ Bill of Rights and Responsibilities, as well as section of Rights and Responsibilities for each:  School/Administration/Faculty and Parents/Community sharing a commitment to educating every child in a supportive school environment, not a punitive one.

2. Ensure that Citizen Action and the Alliance for Quality Education is involved in all aspects of the revision of the Code of Conduct and, in addition, that all parents and students have easy and consistent access to the current Code of Conduct as well as information about the process regarding the revision of the document.

3. Fully implement the Superintendent Regulation set back in March of 2012 that ended out-of-school suspension for Pre K and Kindergarten, made it mandatory that a parent conference in lieu of suspension must be offered in grades 1-6, and added 4 social workers to the district, and that the public sees that this Regulation is in effect.

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Photos

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WBFO: http://news.wbfo.org/post/groups-rally-against-city-school-suspensions

Buffalo News:  http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120926/CITYANDREGION/120929222/1003

WKBW 7: http://www.wkbw.com/news/video/Revisions-Underway-for-Buffalo-School-Suspension-Policy-171434201.html[/toggle]