Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - "It was my hope, and I thought it was our responsibility to act with urgency and appoint a firm to begin the investigation. Unfortunately others felt differently."
Buffalo School Board member Larry Scott explained on WBEN why the board delayed a vote this week on claims by a Buffalo police detective that the district is covering up abuse allegations and obstructing police investigations.
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Six board members on Wednesday, enough for a super majority, decided against hiring an independent investigator, and instead, opted to expand the search.
Scott, who said he was speaking for himself, and not the board, said he is not presuming guilt or innocence, but he believes that based on the allegations, and based on what he is seeing and hearing, it is prudent to do an independent external investigation.
"We have a responsibility to ensure that our parents and our staff feel safe and feel like things are done in a responsible manner. There are multiple entities involved in cases and complaints and there is word circulating that the district has responsibility over SRO's (School Resource Officers). That is, in fact, not the case. There is a chief and lieutenant who oversee them and it's been several years since there's been any contract, Memorandum Of Understanding or agreement between the district, the school board and Buffalo Police."
Scott wants to establish a MOU that would provide guidelines on how the BPD is working with the district and how SRO's are working in city schools. Scott sent an email last week, inviting the Buffalo Police Commissioner, Mayor Chris Scanlon, the School Board and Superintendent Dr. Tonja Williams-Knight to sit down and get something done.
"Right now," he said, "there are no parameters and no guidelines on how the BPD is working in our schools."
The Buffalo School Board approved an independent investigation after a shooting and stabbing at McKinley High School in 2022. We asked Scott why that report was never made public.
"A report was produced that board members had the opportunity to review. But because of attorney client privilege it cannot be released publicly."
He added, "with this current or future investigation, there needs to be a way for results to be made public, so that we can be transparent and reassure people that steps are being taken to keep kids safe."