Parents decry school suspension policy

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - The Buffalo School District may be making some changes after blistering criticism of its high suspension rate from parents on Monday.

About a thousand students a month are placed on out of school suspensions in Buffalo. Some of these students wind up on the streets and suffer terrible consequences.

M'Baye Rama became overwhelmed by emotion telling an advisory board evaluating the suspension policy for Buffalo schools, that as many as 20 of his former African drumming students have been shot dead or sent to prison. Suspending students, sending them out on the streets, said many critics, just puts them more at risk.

Danielle Judge of the Alliance for Quality Education said, "Our kids are dying. Our kids are being kicked out, put on the streets and left for what?"

Associate Schools Superintendent Will Keresztes, "I think everyone can agree that the Buffalo public schools suspends too many students, and principals would be the first to agree that too many students are suspended."

It has been almost two years since Lafayette High School freshman Jawaan Daniels was gunned down at a bus stop after being suspended for walking the halls.

Former New York State Senator Antoine Thompson said, "He was like a typical teenager who needed some guidance and direction, who had been suspended repeatedly for one thing and one thing only, for skipping class. And what was his price? His life."

But some also said more needs to be done to deal with those who are constantly in trouble for serious misconduct.

"Be real. Some of these kids should be suspended. The should be suspended. We can't teach. We can't talk. The take up too much of our resources in terms of time, money and energy," said retired teacher Bob Bell.

The Advisory Board will use its time and energy to make recommendations to the Code of Conduct Committee and then the School Board will consider them.

A second hearing took place at 5 p.m. Monday night at the Waterfront School.