BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Buffalo Common Council Member Zeneta Everhart, who also serves as the Chair of the Education Committee, has suggested changing the suspension policy for students in Buffalo Public Schools.
Everhart says she feels a student shouldn’t be punished by cutting off his or her education when they get in trouble.
She brought members of the district and the public together on Tuesday to hear more about how to improve the suspension policy.
"A solution not a suspension" is what some people called for Tuesday night at the meeting.
Everhart is pushing for a pilot program instead.
“Instead of sending them home, they will report to a school building or an afterschool program or a community center or a library where they will be paired with an organization,” Everhart says. “Where they will help them with their homework, but also after they’re done with their school work they learn skill.”
Edward Speidel, president of the District Parent Coordinating Council, says he hopes this plan can lead to real change.
“Maybe it’s a new day in Buffalo where we can really provide a proper education for all of our children,” Speidel says. “I want this to lead to real change. I want all the students to have the opportunity that they can have, and if they’re struggling let’s get them a place where we can help them.”
Students also showed up to have their voices heard like senior Kariah Kulu.
She shares with 7 News reporter Yoselin Person the moment she faced suspension herself.
“Because my bus will be late and that’s a big thing. The buses would be really really late, and it’ll make us late to school,” she says. “I have been suspended inside school for it, and I didn't get any help with my work at all, and once I got back to class, I was really confused.”
Everhart's push for a new solution is drawing praise from the district.
“It’s exciting that she brought us all together to have a collaborative discussion because we need to work together as a community on behalf of all of our students,” says Dr. Sharon Brown, Chief of Student Support Services at BPS. “We heard a lot of wonderful resources that we can add to our Buffalo Public Schools District.”
“We allocate a lot of money towards after-school programs and community partnerships so if this is another avenue with the City of Buffalo to try to get our gyms open, our exercise facility open for our kids. It'll be a great plus,” says Terrance Heard, Buffalo School Board member at large.
A guardian of a BPS student mentions she hopes the city and the school district think about ways to reach parents who may have a language and literacy barrier.
“Everybody needs to come together as it was stated in the meeting, but how are you going to get the parents to come?” says Gloria Bernard. “It’s not like they’re not getting information. Maybe they’re not able to read the information.”
Everhart says she hopes all students can reach out to work on issues together.
“I want them to come to me and tell me what’s missing because I want to be able to give that to them,” she says.
If you’re a student within the Buffalo Public Schools District contact her office with any concerns you’d like to see addressed.
Below is Council Member Everhart’s contact:
