BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Parents demand immediate action to take place from Buffalo Public Schools after Superintendent Dr. Tonja Williams unveils new student safety plans.
Dr. Williams emphasized at Wednesday’s public school board meeting that the goal is to have BPS students feel safe and secure every day.
“Our students have to feel secure and safe everyday,” she says.
But on Wednesday Riverside High School had to shelter in place because of an emotionally disturbed student.
This comes just one week after an 18-year-old student was stabbed during dismissal.
“I was able to have a conversation and you know express how the highest level from the district we wanted his son to heal, to be okay, and to know that we care,” Dr. Williams says.
The superintendent presented pages of new ways to meet her mission in front of the school board.
Behavioral screenings of students are one of them.
“That is huge. So it won’t be targeted for children that may be on the radar for having issues,” she says. “It’ll be all of our children because you could be a child that’s not under the radar for having issues.”
But some parents feel more needs to be done now to protect their kids.
“I think the superintendent outlined all their hopes and plans, but I didn’t see some of the immediate actions,” says Edwards Speidel, a parent.
Dr. Williams says they’re looking to expand security by 2025 to have at least 137 officers.
Currently, there are 78 active.
Williams also addressed the district’s partnership with University at Buffalo to train principals on handling bullying.
“So when it’s seen we’ll know how to get in there and engage whatever it is,” she says. “Disrupt it and stop it.”
There’s also word about undisciplined students being transferred to other schools like Riverside, a method some don’t agree with.
“Let’s expand our alternative program and put the kids there with all of the proper people there to get them to be good citizens,” Speidel says.
Dr. Williams says the current strategy is under review.
“To see if it was a good choice for them to be at the school. Are they thriving or they need something different and so that would be happening in the next week and working with parents of those students,” she says.
Superintendent Dr. Tonja Williams says more metal detectors will be installed at several athletic fields by the end of this year.
