Dr. Ebony Prophet-Bullock, interim superintendent of Buffalo Public Schools, held a public forum Thursday night at Renovation Church on Hertel Avenue.
The forum gave students a chance to voice their concerns after BPS announced a school-closing and merger plan. Thursday night's gathering was the first in-person public hearing since the plan was released. The previous hearing was conducted virtually.
This forum was open to everyone and the first in-person event since the proposed closing plan was released, but only students were allowed to ask questions and share any issues and requests that they have with the new plan.
Bullock said that Thursday night was an opportunity for leadership to be all ears for the students.
"Hopefully, the community will know that I am still listening, and that today specifically, I'm centering the youth voice, and I'm here to make sure that they have as much of a say in this proposal as anyone else,” she said.
Among the many changes, BPS is proposing Leonardo da Vinci High School merge with Research Laboratory High School at East Community High School.
One section of students at the forum were from Da Vinci. They showed up to share that they were upset because they feel criteria schools should not be merging with lottery schools.
One student said to Bullock, “You’re trying to merge us into one building. Is it possible we can be two schools in one building, two separate schools though? Research is research; a Da Vinci is Da Vinci. Because once you try to merge and add other kids, you take away that Da Vinci is a criteria school that kids work hard to get into.”
Bullock responded, "There is a way that we can maintain the Da Vinci criteria, and that children who go into the Da Vinci program will have to meet that criteria," adding, "We have a plan for the students that go to East. If they do not meet the Da Vinci criteria, then obviously they cannot be enrolled as a Da Vinci student."
The changes that are being proposed are due to declining enrollment, with more than 3,000 fewer students and a need to expand Pre-K special education capacity. Other challenges include urgent facility and lease issues, expanding AP, CTE, and NY Inspires programs, and reducing transportation delays that affect daily bus routes. The school board has called for one school closure in each of its six board districts.
"I haven't said this publicly; I believe so much in this plan," Bullock added. "It's hard for me, and I know that it impacts certain school families personally. If the original plan goes in. This plan impacts three of the four siblings that I have that work in this district. But I believe in it that much. I believe in it that much that I would lay my life down, that I would make sure that our almost 28,000 students have in this school district exactly what I want would want for my own."
The district’s guiding principles focus on identifying schools with low student enrollment across all six districts. The proposal evaluates schools based on enrollment and programs, including early childhood education, bilingual programs, elementary education, and high school pathways. Each district has a list of schools under consideration as part of the proposed restructuring plan.
"Next week we have a tough choice to make," said Bullock, "I'm not going to make everyone happy. My board, which I will say again, is the right board for a time such as this. We're not going to make everyone happy, but in due time, as the old folks say, joy comes in the morning."
Next Wednesday, all nine of the BPS board members will come together and have the final say on what changes will be made.
