BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Two teachers were injured during fights at the Buffalo Academy for Visual and Performing Arts Monday.
According to Buffalo police, several fights occurred during dismissal Monday and two teachers were injured. One of the teachers did seek medical treatment and was transported to ECMC to be evaluated. No arrests have been made.
The Buffalo Public School District released the following statement to 7 News regarding the fights:
The District is highly concerned and disturbed by the incident that occurred and is fully committed to working with our community partners to eliminate all acts of violence in our schools and the communities that surround them.
The police have been contacted and we are fully complying with their protocols and procedures. As this is an active investigation, we are not able to comment further.
The district released an updated statement Tuesday which said in part: "the District is highly concerned and disturbed to learn that at least one Non-Buffalo Public School student trespassed on BPS grounds with the intent to attack a BPS student, at The Buffalo Academy for the Visual and Performing Arts yesterday at dismissal, resulting in two employees being viciously attacked as well."
According to the district, police are investigating and attempting to identify the offending student that does not attend the school.
Around 5 p.m. Monday the district released an update on its "school safety items" as the district makes changes following an attack outside of McKinley High School in February.
In the update the district said interim superintendent Dr. Tonja M. Williams has done the following regarding school safety since she was appointed:
- NEW BPS BRANDING titled: “Moving To The Next Level” (see attached) which is being used to relay the message that Safety and Wellness must be prioritized for all staff, partners, families, and students in the District
- Scheduled discussion with Mayor Byron W. Brown, regarding the District’s needs
- Met with two Board-approved parent groups, the District Parent Coordinating Council (DPCC) and the Buffalo Parent-Teacher Organization (BPTO), and meeting with the Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) this evening, to express the need for input from parents and encourage them to partner with the District to help achieve its safety goals
- Visited schools to ensure that all District safety procedures and protocols are being followed and will continue to visit moving forward
- Attended Sunday morning services at Friendship Baptist Church and Elim’s Christian Fellowship Church to communicate that support from parents and stakeholders is essential for the District to make progress
- Immediate Safety Plans presentation, including representatives from the NFTA and BPD at the Board of Education Meeting on March 16th,
- Created a letter outlining BPS safety measures and expectations and disseminated it districtwide (see attached) to all parents and caregivers
- Created a survey to be completed by every Buffalo Public School Leadership Team assessing the current safety and security measures in each school
- Authorized the immediate procurement of gold-standard Walkie Talkies for District schools
- Hired additional BPS School Security Officers
- Assessing safety and transportation needs on First Student buses to implement a plan to address human capital and structural adjustment needs
