BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Buffalo Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Tonja Williams has issued a statement to parents and caregivers on school safety.
The statement, which can be found on the district's website, says:
A Message From The Heart To My BPS Parents and Caregivers,Please talk to your children each day about engaging in safe behaviors. I don’t want to see any child harmed. I know that our children go through a lot… these are very troubling times. Life has become very complicated. Safety is not a game and we do not take it lightly.I also know that our best shot at creating a culture of safety and wellness in our schools must include you.Know that your children value and listen to you. YOU were their first teacher!! YOU are the expert on your children. I know and deeply respect this fact.I am asking that you please speak with your children so that they understand that, in the Buffalo Public Schools, we will not tolerate:👉🏾 Violence👉🏾Weapons being brought into schools or onto school buses👉🏾Disrespecting peers, teachers and / or staff.We in BPS are here to serve… educate… and support your children. To help them to make their dreams a reality, but we NEED YOUR HELP.We have counselors, social workers, psychologists, nurses, and more to help… but we also need you. The goal for all of us (including you, I know) is to have safe, high-performing schools. Thank you for your support!! Feel free to share.Sincerely,BPS Superintendent of SchoolsDr. Tonja Williams
On Wednesday a 16-year-old girl was arraigned on one count of first-degree assault and one count of fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon for allegedly stabbing another student, a 17-year-old girl, while inside a restroom at the Buffalo School of Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management.
Williams, who was named the district's new superintendent in July, delivered her first State of the Schools Address at the end of August. During the address, Williams unveiled her strategic plan for the next three years called “Five by 25," which stands for five goals achieved by 2025. One of those five goals was to prioritize safety, security and wellness.
