By Eileen Buckley
Buffalo, NY – City Schools Superintendent Dr. James Williams told the Buffalo Fiscal Stability Authority Wednesday that he continues working on a short-term solution to deal repeated incidents of school violence.
When Buffalo public school students are arrested for violence, the district suspends them. Then, for a short time, they are sent to one of two "opportunity" schools before returning to their school. Superintendent Williams says, right now, suspension is the only solution the district has in dealing with the students. He says it just a band-aid approach.
But Williams and the Buffalo teachers union are working on plan to increase the number of students at the "opportunity" schools from 120 to 320. Williams also wants to expand the time those students stay in the "opportunity" setting.
"We're asking the court system to assign students there for the remainder of the school year," Williams said. "One issue we're working on is a memorandum of understanding with our collective bargaining units that would allow us to bring in outside agencies."
Williams told the control board that he is trying to make sure this does not increase costs to the district. He is hoping to expand the "opportunity" schools by February 1st. In the meantime, Williams says the district is also examining other structural changes in city schools to prevent outbreaks of violence.
""Little things like teachers doing hall duty, making sure students are coming to school on time, engaging the parents -- it's these little things that we've overlooked that have grown into bigger things," Williams said. "So, right now, (Buffalo Teachers Federation President) Phil Rumore and I are traveling to schools to meet with our faculty."
The district is also continuing its plans for an alternative school to open in the fall. Williams says they have identified about 520 problem students expected to be placed in that new school.