'I don't feel other students are safe.' Buffalo teachers claim lack of action in student discipline

Three Buffalo School teachers, three different grades, three different schools, have all come forward to the 7 Eyewitness News I-Team to share a message: inside the schools they don't feel children are safe.

NEW THIS MORNING--THE 7 EYEWITNESSNEWS I-TEAM ISDIGGING INTOCONCERNS--IN THE BUFFALOSCHOOL DISTRICT --COMING FROM THETEACHERSTHEMSELVES.BUT IT'S NOT COVIDTHEY'RE CONCERNEDABOUT.THREE TEACHERS,FROM DIFFERENTSCHOOLS--SAY A LACK OFSTUDENT DISCIPLINE--IS MAKING SCHOOLUNSAFE.THEY TELL OUR 7EYEWITNESS NEWSREPORTER OLIVIAPROIA--"THE CHILDREN ARERUNNING THESCHOOLS."SO00:03K: THE CHILDREN ARERUNNING THESCHOOLS.SOT00:03K: I HAVE NEVER SEENANYTHING LIKE THIS INALL MY YEARS OFTEACHING.THREE BUFFALOSCHOOL TEACHERS.THREE DIFFERENTGRADES.

THREEDIFFERENTSCHOOLS.

HAVE ALLCOME FORWARD TOTHE 7EWN I-TEAM TOSHARE A MESSAGE:SOT00:06K: I DON'T FEEL SAFEANYMORE.

I DON'TWANT TO CRY EVERYDAY BEFORE I GO TOWORK.SOT00:03C: MY BIGGESTCONCERN IS I DON'TFEEL OTHERSTUDENTS ARE SAFE.THE TEACHERS- WHOASKED THEIRIDENTITIES BECONCEALED OUT OFFEAR OF RETALIATION-SAY THE DISTRICT'SRECENT CHANGE INDISCIPLINARYPRACTICES, WHICHCRACKS DOWN ONSUSPENSIONS, HRESULTED IN A LACKOF ACTION WHENSTUDENTS ACT OUT.SOT00:08C: I'VE PROBABWRITTEN UP FOURSTUDENTS MAYBE 15TIMES EACH WITH NOEFFECT AT ALL, NOCONSEQUENCES,NOTHINTHE TEACHERS SAYTHERE IS ALSO A LACKOF CONSISTENCY.SOT00:07B: I DON'TUNDERSTAND HOWONE STUDENT CANGET SUSPENDED FORFIGHTING WHENANOTHER ONE MIGHTGET A PARENTCONFERENCE THENEXT DAY.THE DISTRICT TOOK ANEW APPROACH TOSUSPENSION AFTER A2018 REPORT BY THENEW YORK EQUITYCOALITION REVEALED14 PERCENT OFBUFFALO SCHOOLSTUDENTS HAVE BEENSUSPENDED AT LEASTONCE.

THE STATEWIDEAVERAGE IS 2.7PERCENT.THE NEWDISCIPLINARYPRACTICESBUFFALO SCHOOLSARE SEPARATED BYFOUR LEVELS.LEVEL ONE ISGENERALLY A FOOF VERBALCORRECTION TODETENTION.LEVEL TWOCAREGIVERNOTIFICATION..

ORCHANGE IN SCHEDULEOR CLASSLEVEL THREE.

IN-SCHOOL OR SHORT-TERM SUSPENSION.LEVEL FOUR IS THMOST SERIOUS.OUT-OF-SCHOOLSUSPENSION.THE DISTRICT'S CODEOF CONDUCT SAYSADMINISTRATORS ANDTEACHERS AREEXPECTED TOATTEMPT RESOLUTIONTHROUGH LEVELS 1-3BEFORE REACHINGTHAT POINT.BUT THE TEACHERSPROVIDED THE I-TEAMWITH DISCIPLINEREFERRAL FORMS .SHOWING STUDENTSWHO ARE REPEATEDLYVIOLENT DON'TNECESSARILY MAKE ITPAST LEVEL ONE.IN ONE CASE,RECORDS SHOW..AFTER BITINGANOTHER STUDENT.ADMINISTRATORS"DISCUSSEDBOUNDARIES ACAN'T BITE OTHERS,APOLOGIZED TO THEOTHER STUDENT"TWO DAYS LATER,RECORDS SHOW THESAME STUDENTSLAPPED ANOTHERSTUDENT IN THEFACE.

AS A RESULT"DISCUSSED HOW TOBE NICE, GENTLETOUCH, BEING AFRIEND."SOT00:0YOU'RE PROBABLYLOSING A GOOD 20 TO30 PERCENT OF CLASSTIME A DAY.SOT00:07B: THEY DISRUPT MYTRAIN OF THOUGHT.THEY DISRUPT THECLASS'S TRAIN OFTHOUGHTHE TEACHERS SAYTHE LACK OF FIRMCONSEQUENCES ISAFFECTING THESTUDENTS WHO WANTTO LEARN THE MOST.SOT00:10K: I'VE HAD CHILDRENCRY AND SAY THEYDON'T WANT TO COMEBACK TO CLASS.

I'VEHAD PARENTS TELL METHAT THEIR CHILDRENARE AFRAID TO COTO SCHOOL.SOT00:08C: ONE STUDENT WASPICKED ON AND HIT INTHE HEAD AND HIT SOMANY TIMES HE NOLONGER ATTENDSSCHOOL.

HE IS BEINGHOME SCHOOLED BYHIS MOTHER.DR. KRINER CASHSAYS THESETEACHERS CONCERNSSIMPLY AREN'T ON HISRADAR, DESPITE THEBUFFALO TEACHERSFEDERATIONPRESIDENT, PHILRUMORE'S, TEACHERSURVEYSDOCUMENTINGSIMILAR ACCOUNTS.RUMORE ADVOCATESFOR NESUSPENSIONPOLICIES.SOT00:13DR. KASH: THOSEDON'T USUALLY RISETO MY LEVEL.

THOSEARE HANDLED DUE TOCODE AT THE LEVELOF THE CLASSROOM.WHAT WE'RE GOITO DO IS WORK ONTHE SOCIAL ANDEMOTIONAL LEARNINGISSUES.SOT00:05K: WE'RE AFRAID, BUTNOW WE'RE NOT.

WENEED TO GET THISACROSS.OLIVIA PROIA, 7EWN.