BUFFALO, N.Y. — Buffalo Public Schools delayed a planned vote on closing several schools Wednesday night after the district’s interim superintendent said the board needed more time to hear from the community.
The Buffalo School Board had been scheduled to vote on a proposed school closure resolution during a meeting at McKinley High School. Instead, Interim Superintendent Ebony Prophet-Bullock said the item would be removed from the agenda and taken up later.
Before the meeting began, some community members gathered outside to protest the proposed closures. Inside, more than 30 people had signed up to speak, and teachers, parents and students used the public comment period to urge the district to keep schools open.
Prophet-Bullock told those gathered, “We have heard exactly what you have asked in terms of giving us more time,” and said, “We are going to pull those agenda items off now. We are going to have … another meeting on Monday. We are going to give this a little bit of time.”
She also said, “We understand the emotions behind this, and we wanted to say this now, because … we’re still going to let everyone who signed up speak. You’ll still get the opportunity to speak. But we want to let you know that now because of the raw emotion in the room.”
Roselyn Kasmire, a teacher at Riverside High School, said, “I believe there is another way. Why does the answer have to be closing schools and displacing students? We need to think outside the box. Let’s look at every possible option before we make a decision that will change these students’ lives.”
After the announcement, speakers continued to address the board. Some attendees left the meeting feeling hopeful, while others did not.
The board’s next public meeting is set for Monday at 5:30 p.m. at Public School 94, West Hertel Academy.
