As promised, Antoinette Radford was at King Center Charter School at 8:00 am Thursday morning to return to work per a judge’s order. However, the King Center Board of Trustees had given directives to staff at the school to not allow her in the principal’s office or any part of the school, kickstarting a standoff between the two sides. Police were eventually called to the scene to enforce the judge’s order.
"All you guys are reinstated. You all can go in just as you previously would and can operate just as you previously would," said Buffalo Police Officer Niko Davis.
Radford believes the lengths the board are going to get rid of her stem from personal issues between herself and the board, and the school’s Executive Director Tamaira Coleman.
"Yeah, I have no problem with the executive director. I have no [problem] with the board. They are interfering with my work. I have no problem with them," said Radford. I have done nothing to them, and it seems to me that it's getting more personal and more personal and more personal."
Radford was originally terminated from her position in late June. The position was left vacant all summer until the board of trustees held a special meeting Wednesday evening, announcing they have hired Mariah Friona Kramer to be the school’s new principal. Kramer was most recently a principal at Buffalo Creek Academy before the school closed in March. She was not at this Wednesday’s board meeting, and Radford said she has not had any contact with her yet.
Parents and other community members have been vocal in their dissatisfaction with the board's actions. They believe they're acting without the communities best interest in mind.
"Something odd and insular, where people don't want to listen to the parents and listen to the teachers who are doing the work in this building," said Julie Henry, who used to serve on the the school's board.
Radford's husband, Sam Radford, is a longtime education advocate in Buffalo. He too is speaking out.
"This school is the oldest charter school in the city of Buffalo. It's been here for 25 years. A group can come in here and within three years, undo all the work that years of people lives have been put into making the school what it is," said Sam Radford. "And what we're trying to do right now is just save the school."
The judge’s order also includes that the school’s board and executive director appear at a hearing Oct. 8 in Erie County Court to defend their reasoning for the personnel decisions.
