Press Release

PLEASE DIRECT ALL MEDIA INQUIRIES TO PRESIDENT PHIL RUMORE BY CLICKING HERE

BTF AUTHORIZES LEGAL ACTION TO REMOVE CARL PALADINO

Today, the BTF authorized legal action with the Commissioner of Education to remove Carl Paladino from the Buffalo Board of Education.

The legal actions claim Carl Paladino:

a. engaged in acts of bad faith, intentional misconduct, neglect of duty or a willful violation of law (see Notice of Petition 38-57).

b. violated law and Board of Education policy by disclosing information from Executive Session (see Notice of Petition 58-64).

As a result, this action will seek:

a. Carl Paladino's removal from the Buffalo Board of Education.

b. a ruling declaring him ineligible henceforth to hold such office.

Carl Paladino has been served with the required documents.

"We believe his racist and destructive statements as well as his disclosures of information from executive session clearly warrant his removal from
the Buffalo Board of Education. This action will end the negative, educationally disruptive and emotionally harmful conditions his actions have caused in our schools." stated Phil Rumore, President of the Buffalo Teachers Federation.

RUMORE CALLS UPON BUFFALO COMMON COUNCIL TO REJECT MAYOR'S EDUCATION ALLOCATION - SUPPORT BUFFALO STUDENT AS OTHER CITIES DO

BTF President, Phil Rumore, today released a letter to the Mayor and Common Council (attached) calling the City's funding for Buffalo's students, ”disgraceful”.

Rumore released charts that showed that the City of Buffalo's funding for its students was $30,646,642 to $93,151,509 behind Syracuse, Rochester and Yonkers. The chart shows that while the City of Buffalo contributes 50% of its budget to support its students, Yonkers provides 34%, Rochester 24% and Syracuse 21%.

"It is disgraceful that Buffalo Public School students receive between $30,646,642 to $93,151,509 less from their city than the other city school children.

We call upon the Mayor and Buffalo Common Council to reverse the City's unacceptable underfunding of our students and to support our students on the same level as Rochester, Yonkers and Syracuse fund their students.

Our students deserve more, nothing less”, Rumore stated.

DISTRICT FOUND GUILTY OF VIOLATING NYS LAW PROPOSED SCHEDULE CHANGES BLOCKED AT THREE SCHOOLS

 New York State Justice Tracy Bannister has found that the Buffalo School Superintendent violated NYS law when he attempted to use Receivership powers to unilaterally change the starting and ending times at three (3) schools.

NYS Law provides Superintendents (School Districts) with the authority to make unilateral changes in what are called Receivership Schools as long as the changes are being made to improve the education of the students. Receivership schools are schools that have been deemed by NYS to be low-performing schools.

The BTF argued that:

• The changes to the schedules were done to save money over the wishes of many parents and teachers and not to improve the education of the students.

• The Receivership powers granted to the Superintendent (District) were granted based on the previous BTF contract and therefore they are no longer in effect since the BTF and District have entered into a new contract.

After submission of evidence and arguments from the Disrtict and BTF, Justice Bannister concurred and ordered that the actions are "stayed until such time as the New york State Comissioner of Education shall determine upon adminsitartive applications by either party herein whether the schedule changes attempted by the Respondents as set forth in the Petition are for the purpose of increasing student achievement at the particular schools such as to be appropriate for a receivership agreement modifying the 2016-2018 collective bargaining agreement between the parties as required by Education Law, Section 211-f; and it is further  ORDERED, that, pursuate to CPLR Section 7805. Respondents, their employees, agents and assigns are stayed and enjoined from implementing the changes in the starting times or the affected schools set forth in Petition Exhibit F until such time as there is the aforesaid administrative determination of the New York State Commissioner of Education." (Underlining done by BTF)

BTF President, Phil Rumore, stated "For about two months, we worked with the District to modify the schedules at several schools so that the District could save money this year. lndeed we agreed to allow schedule changes to save money in the third year of the contract (2018-19 school year). lnstead of continuing to work with us, the Superintendent and District decided to shove the schedule changes down the throats of the parents, teachers and students. Parents and teachers were angered by this unilateral move and showed their displeasure on signed petitions delivered to the court.  

RUMORE BLASTS JACOBS' ATTACK ON TEACHERS

BTF President, Philip Rumore, today, blasted Senator Chris Jacobs’ attack on the Buffalo School District and the teachers’ contract.

“Senator Jacobs, an anti-public school, anti-teacher, pro-charter school advocate has again shown his contempt for our schools and teachers.
To attack a contract for dedicated teachers who work under some of the most difficult conditions, who were twenty (20) thousand dollars behind their colleagues and who had been stone-walled for twelve years, shows Senator Jacobs contempt for Buffalo teachers.”

“He turns his back on our teachers and students while refusing to acknowledge the outstanding progress we are making despite severe underfunding from New York State in violation of its constitution” Rumore stated.

“He has somehow ignored the information which we provided him - such as:

• New York State is the second (2nd) worst in the USA in the funding disparity between rich and poor districts*.

• New York State is the sixth (6th) worst in the USA in funding disparity between high % of students of color districts and low % of students of color districts*.

• The Buffalo Public Schools are owed over a billion dollars in Foundation Aid – aid allocated for poor school districts.

• The Governor’s and Senate’s budget would do away with the current Foundation Aid formula thus further hurting our students.

• Lifting the Charter School tuition cap will cost the Buffalo Public Schools an additional $14 million dollars while the Buffalo Charter Schools have amassed over $80 million in unrestricted net assets.

• The Buffalo Public Schools send Charter Schools $70 million more than it would cost if those students returned to the Buffalo Public Schools.

• While Charter Schools have few, if any, ELL (ENL) students and students with special needs, they also expel “undesirable” students and send them back to the Buffalo Public Schools” Rumore concluded.

* The Education Trust, Washington D.C., www.edtrust.com – See “Funding Gaps” – “Too Many States Still Spend Less on Educating Students Who Need The Most”

Rumore Defends Teachers and Parents Seeking Removal of School #18 Principal

“Teachers at School #18 and other teachers in the District are angered that the Superintendent, Dr. Kriner Cash, has rejected teacher and parent calls for the removal of Principal Aakta Patel, sided with the Principal and in effect said if you don’t like it at the school, leave”, stated Phil Rumore, President of BTF.

On 12/15/17, the BTF sent the Superintendent and Board of Education an extremely negative “School Climate Survey” relating to the Principal, Aakta Patel. The survey was mailed to the teachers at School #18 with their responses being mailed to BTF.

There were similar results on the Climate Survey completed while Ms. Patel was assigned to West Hertel Elementary School as an Assistant Principal.

In addition, an on-line petition for the removal of Principal Patel is being circulated by a parent of a student at School #18, www.change.org/p/dr-kriner-cash-transfer-aatka-patel.

“Teachers across the District are so disappointed and angered by the Superintendent siding with the Principal against the teachers, despite the fact that written documents were supplied to him and the Board, that they plan to bring a motion against his statements and position at our next Council of Delegates meeting (a meeting of all school representatives).

Since this is not the actions of the Superintendent, with whom I have worked with cooperatively, I hope he will reconsider his statements and position”, Rumore concluded.