Rally at Lafayette High School Calls on Buffalo City School District’s Board of Education to Stop Turnover Plan
BUFFALO, Oct. 15, 2014 – Community members, school administrators, parents and students along with Citizen Action of NY, the Alliance for Quality Education, and PUSH Buffalo rallied at Lafayette High School on Wednesday to demand the Buffalo City School District end its turnover plans for four public high schools.
The event sought to reverse the actions taken by a slim majority of Buffalo Board of Education last week to open up a third round of applications to turn Bennett High School, Martin Luther King Jr. Multicultural Institute, East High School and Lafayette High School or any other school in Buffalo into charter schools. This was decided without input from the community, administrators, or parents.
The rally called for the district to collaborate on solutions with the community until January 30, 2015, when an intervention plan must be submitted to the State Department of Education.
“After attending the last Board of Education meeting, I was very disappointed in watching the adults of the Buffalo Public Schools make decisions without having all the facts. Parents want the best for their children. Children want to learn, and they deserve the best education they need to prosper in this world,” said Lisa Griffith, Parent Facilitator at Lafayette High School. “Come to Lafayette High School. Visit our family. Then you will be in a better position to make the appropriate decisions.”
“Interim Superintendent Ogilvie and the Board Majority rushed to pass resolutions seeking new charters for East, Lafayette, Bennett High Schools and MLK, Jr. Institute without providing time for parental and community engagement,” said Dr. Barbara Seals Nevergold, At-Large Member of the Buffalo Board of Education. “In fact, the full Board was denied the opportunity to examine the impact of the Commissioner’s mandate and alternatives. This is unacceptable. We call on Commissioner King to support the parents, students and community in requiring the Board to offer time for community input and questions.”
“If the community had participation in any of these processes, these schools wouldn’t be closing. The board needs to do its due diligence to come into the community before any decisions are even put on the table. The community needs to be involved in the entire process when it comes to the future of our children,” said Jennifer Mecozzi-Rivera, Organizing Director for PUSH Buffalo.
“When it comes to decisions affecting our children’s education, the parents and the community should also be included. And it is because of this very reason, we, the community members are demanding that the Board of Education members notify the community and parents prior to making any final decisions that will affect our children. Until our voices are heard we will not keep quiet,” said La Keia Bratten, member of Citizen Action of New York and the Alliance for Quality Education.
“As a parent, I am appalled at the lack of respect for the parents and members of the community who are directly impacted by the district’s actions and decisions. Our voices are important, and they matter. These are our children, and we need to be informed and be part of the decision making process at every step of the way,” said Angelica Rivera, Chair of Education Committee of Citizen Action of New York and the Alliance for Quality Education.
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