BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Students and families received an open letter from Buffalo Public School District Superintendent Dr. Tonja M. Williams Knight about her goal of "creating safe, welcoming spaces for all of our students and families."
The letter was sent to families on Tuesday.
The letter stated that this reminder is in alignment with the U.S. Constitution, New York State law, and the spirit of the unanimously approved Buffalo Board of Education Resolution, which was adopted on Dec. 18, 2024, Affirming the Rights, Values, and Dignity of all Buffalo Public Schools Students.
The letter reads:
January 28, 2025 Dear BPS Community,
In light of recent events, I am sharing this message today to reaffirm the Buffalo Public School District’s commitment to creating safe, welcoming spaces for all of our students and families, in alignment with the U.S. Constitution, New York State law, and in the spirit of the unanimously approved Buffalo Board of Education’s Resolution, adopted on December 18, 2024, Affirming the Rights, Values, and Dignity of all Buffalo Public Schools Students. This resolution embraces the commitment that all BPS schools and district offices will comply with required laws, which mandate us to keep all of our students safe, no matter their race, ethnicity, and to protect their identity, immigration status, national origin, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, familial status, religion, or exceptional abilities. School leaders and staff have been provided guidance about how to protect the rights of our immigrant students.
What students and families should know:
Please make sure that all emergency contact information is updated for your child. To update your contact information, contact your child’s school.
Please speak with your child on what to do in case of an emergency at home; they should know who to contact.
District employees, volunteers and contractors are prohibited from asking about or sharing any personal information about your students or your families, including immigration status, unless required by law and authorized by the district’s Office of General Counsel.
We have provided guidance to school leaders on how to handle any potential requests from immigration officials.
If you have questions or concerns, please reach out to your child’s school. We will continue working to provide meaningful information and robust training to school and district staff to foster safe, welcoming environments where all of our students can learn and thrive. Thank you.
In partnership,
Dr. Tonja M. Williams Knight Superintendent
BPS parent and Special Education Parents Advisory Committee (SEPAC) chair Maelena Fisher said, being Hispanic and an immigrant, her initial thoughts after reading the letter were reassuring, during what she calls a "tumultuous time." She had a conversation with her kids about the letter.
"That is our job. It's the love everybody and to treat everyone with respect, regardless of where they come from and regardless of who they believe in," Maelena Fisher said. "We need to be cognizant of everybody and their situation. I think we tend to take a bird's eye view of things."
To find the letter in other languages, click here.
Jeffrey Hammond, Director of Public Relations and Information at Buffalo Public Schools, also released a statement clarifying the letter's intent.
“The superintendent sent out the letter to reassure families, students, and staff that the Buffalo Public Schools embraces its commitment to creating and maintaining a safe and inclusive school environment and will continue to protect the rights, values, and dignity of all students.”
Jeffrey Hammond
Director of Public Relations and Information at Buffalo Public Schools
Tuesday, Congressman Nick Langworthy was in Western New York. He told 7 News' Kristin Mirand that ICE raids will not happen at schools.
"It is not happening. It is absolutely not happening. That is not the mission that is being executed right now. They were very crystal clear about that with me," Langworthy said. "In broad strokes, there's an ongoing mission to go out of their way to get the people that are convicted criminals and people that are posing a national security risk—that is what the mission is."
