Schools Ready For Reopening: Buffalo Parents Say Not So Soon

Many of us are still asking ourselves what will look like for our kids during the pandemic. The Buffalo Public School District released a draft of its reopening plans, and parents are reacting to those guidelines.

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WIVB reports that the Buffalo Public School District outlined three models, in-person, hybrid, or all virtual learning. There are a number of parents who feel that in-person teaching is crucial for some students to get back on track and are urging parents who know if that’s best for their kid, to speak up.

“Some children need to be in school every day and there needs to be a conversation around that because the learning loss that’s happened because essentially students haven’t been in school for 6 months,” said Duncan Kirkwood parent of students in Buffalo Public Schools.

The district is aiming for some sort of hybrid model, where students alternate between learning at home and inside the classroom. Nia Badger has three children who attend Buffalo Public Schools says that might not work for every parent and student.

“We definitely have to consider those students who may not have a parent at home, a parent who has to work, who has to be on the front lines, a nurse a doctor, a police officer fireman, those people who have to be outside of the home. Is that child going to fall through the wayside?”

The nearly 100-page document also says schools would not reopen on September 8 if the state approves the district’s plan and it calls for a four-phase reopening to begin first with giving teachers and staff time to train and set up classrooms.

Buffalo Teacher’s Federation President Phil Rumore says he has some concerns with that part.

“What are the details? How are you going to do the training? What is the training going to be, how is it going to be done?

Badger and parent Duncan Kirkwood are however concerned that not enough parents are stepping up to make sure their kids receive a proper education.

“These are our kids, these are our children and we have to take full responsibility as parents. We can’t let other people make decisions that’s in their interest and not our children’s interest.”

The district is also planning to ask the state for several waivers for the upcoming school year to exempt having to provide the 180 days of instruction required by the state. The school reopening plan still needs to be approved by Governor Cuomo who is expected to make that decision this week.