Buffalo school moms calling for inclusion on reopening decision making

Buffalo school moms calling for inclusion on reopening decision making

JESSICA.

"WE KNOWTHAT CHILDREN AREIN A MENTAL HEALTHCRISIS -- PARENTSCAN BARELYSURVIVE.FRUSTRATEDBUFFALO PUBLICSCHOOL MOTHERS --TRYING TO MANAGETHE PRESSURE OFTHE PANDEMIC- -ARE AT THEIR WIT'SEND.- -SOME OF THESEWOMEN SAY THEIRCHILDREN HAVE NOTBEEN BACK TOSCHOOL IN A YEAR.THEY WANT THEBUFFALO SCHOOLDISTRICT TO HEARTHEIRSTRUGGLE...ANDANSWER THEIR CALLFOR HELP.7 EYEWITNESSNEWS SENIORREPORTER EILEENBUCKLEY EXPLAINS.IRIZARRY.

"I KINDOF FEEL SOMETIMESLIKE I'M IN JAIL --LITERALLYSPEAKING -- I'M INJAIL."THESE BUFFALOPUBLIC SCHOOLMOMS ANDCAREGIVERS STHEY WANT MORESUPPORT AND TO BEHEARD BY THE CITYSCHOOL DISTRICTHE DISTRICT HASCONDUCTED A VERYSLOW REOPENPROCESS...THERARE ONLY ABOUT 7-THOUSAND OF33,000 STUDENTSATTENDING INPERSON LEARNINGTWO DAYS AWEEK...THE RESTREMAIN HOMKHADIJAH HUSSEINSAYS SHEREPRESENTS THEMULTI-LINGUALCOMMUNITY WHODESPERATELY NEEDHELP AND THEDISTRICT ISN'TLISTENING..HUSSEIN.

"YOU'RENOT SEEINGTHEM...BECAUSEWE'RE THE VOICEOF THEM BECAUSETHEY DO NOTUNDERSTAND THELANGUAGE E TOCOME AND SIT INTHESE MEETINGSTHEMSELVES."THIS MOTHER ANDGRANDMA ISWORKING-- FULL-TIME, FROMHOME...WHILETRYING TOSUPERVISE FIVECHILDREN.IRIZARRY.

"I'M THELUNCH LADY...TGYM TEACHER...I'VEBECOME IT ALL."===BUTT===EILEEN.

"AND FORSOME OF THESEBUFFALO SCHOOLMOMS...THEY SAYTHEIR CHILD HASNOT STEPPED IN ACLASSROOM IN AFULL YEAR.JESSICA.

"MYDAUGHTER HASGONE FROM BEING ASTRAIGHT ASTUDENT TO AFAILING STUDENTOVER THE COURSEOF THE YEAR."JESSICA BAUERWALKER SAYS THEYARE CALLING ONTHE DISTRICT TOBE INCLUSIVE.THESE WOMENALREADY ARE PARTOF THE REOPENCOMMITTEES.

BUTWALKER SAYS THEYARE NOT PART OFANY DECISIONMAKING.JESSICA.

"IF OCHILDREN AREN'T INSCHOOL CERTAINDAYS -- WHATSUPPORTS CAN BEPUT IN PLACE -- ALOT OF US HAVENOT BEEN ABLE TOTAKE ADVANTAGE OFVIRTUAL LEARNINGCENTERS OR THEFOOD PROGRAM --WE CAN'T LEAVEWORK AND PICK UPTHOSE MEALS FOROUR KIDS."BUT WALKER SAYTHEY ARE NOTREADY TO FILE ALAWSUIT, AS SOMEPAERTNS ARE DOINGIN OTHERDISTRICTS.WE REACHED OUTTWO BUFFALOSCHOOL BOARDMEMBERS -- LARRYSCOTT AND DR. ANNRIVERA FORANSWERS.EILEEN.

"WHAT DOYOU SAY TO THOSEMOMS?"LARRY SCOTT.

"IHEAR THECONCERN...I HEARTHESTRUGGLE...AND WHAVE ENGAGEDPARENTS..ANDSTAFF--TEACHERS..ONGOING SINCE LASTSUMMER."RIVERA.

"I WANTTHEM TO KNOWTHAT I UNDERSTANDTHEIR STRUGGLEAND I ALSO WANTTHEM TO KNOWTHAT WE ALL WANTOUR STUDENTS TOBE BACK INSCHOOL...AND WENEED THEM TO BEBACK IN SCHOOLSAFELY."PARENT DR. WENDYMISTRETTA SAYS ITWOULD BE HELPFULIF THE DISTRICCOULD AT LEASTTELL THEM HOWMANY STUDENTSCOULD FIT IN ACLASSROOM,SAFELY, AT EIGHT,SIX OR THREE FEETAPART...WENDY.

"EVEN IFWE DON'T HAVE THEDATES -- IT WOULDBE SO HELPFUL FOROUR FAMILIES TOKNOW THAT IF THISHAPPENS THAT'SWHAT THE DISTRICTIS GOING TO DO."===BUTT===SCOTT.

"AND WEWERE TOLD THATTHIS COULD BE ADIFFERENCE OFFITTING THREE TOFOUR MORESTUDENTS IN ACLASSROOM...IF WEREDUCE FROM 8 TOSIX FEET."EILEEN, DOES ITAPPEAR THEDISTRICT IS ANYCLOSER TORETURNING TOFULL-IN-PERSONLEARNING?ASHLEY, NO.

BOARDMEMBER SCOTTSAYS THEY ARE"JUST NOT THEREYET".

AND HEREALIZES SOMEPARENTS DON'TWANT TO HEARTHAT.

BUT HEPOINTED OUT THATTHERE IS A RISINGNUMBER OF COVIDCASES.

TUESDAYTHE DISTRICTREPORTED 20-NEWCASES AND 17 WERESTUDENTS.