The Buffalo Teachers Federation Council of Delegates has issued a vote of no confidence in Buffalo Public Schools Superintendent Kriner Cash over security issues at McKinley High School and other schools.
"We appreciate many of the things Dr. Kriner Cash has accomplished, however, many calls for increased security and the increasing serious acts of violence, as delineated in the resolution, have been inadequately addressed and gotten worse," BTF President Philip Rumore said in a statement. "Ultimately, this is and was the responsibility of the superintendent."
He said teachers no longer have confidence the conditions will improve under Cash.
The action comes after a student was stabbed and a security guard was shot outside McKinley High School last week. Two teenagers have been charged with the violence.
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Police have not released a name or a description of the suspect.
The Council of Delegates also called for a state and federal investigation into the safety of Buffalo Public Schools and the concerns raised by teachers, parents and staff over the last three years. It also wants a permanent safety/security committee to be established in each school.
Cash defended his tenure in a written statement.
"Over the course of my seven-year tenure in Buffalo, this district has turned around under my leadership and its service to children through the implementation of the New Education Bargain which includes establishing a strong relationship with our teachers and administrators," he said. "No performative tactics of the BTF or any other groups will deter my commitment to steering the Buffalo Public Schools through these challenging times.”
Teachers listed a number of complaints about lax security and discipline at McKinley High School, stating in the resolution that "it took a shooting and a stabbing to" fix doors that do not lock, working metal detectors, more security and additional hall aides.
"He knew about violence problems at our school for years and did not provide a safe working and learning environment," the resolution states.
Rumore sent a letter to the superintendent and the School Board in December about an increase in violence at McKinley, alleging more than 40 incidents at the school since September.
Mayor Byron Brown and other law enforcement officials give an update after a shooting at McKinley High School on Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2022.
Cash said he commends and empathizes with teachers, administrators and support staff for the daily challenges they face.
“This is an unprecedented time in public education – Covid-related challenges, social-emotional issues, community violence, and traumatic experiences occurring throughout our community and nation," Cash said in his statement. "It is an especially professionally challenging environment for teachers, administrators, support staff, and superintendents, and I commend and empathize with the challenges our staff face each and every day."
Cash said he has dedicated his life and career to providing greater equity, access and quality to students.
Board of Education President Louis Petrucci issued a statement Friday that said the board will evaluate what the vote of no confidence in Cash means for the district.
"Our teachers are an invaluable and inextricable part of the educational process in the Buffalo Public Schools and we value their opinion. We also recognize the recent efforts that have been made to set McKinley back on the path to success. The Buffalo Board of Education is presently evaluating what this vote means for the district," he said.
