WILLIAMSVILLE, N.Y. (WBEN) - Parents at Williamsville Schools are threatening legal action if they do not get a face-to-face meeting with Acting Superintendent Dr. John McKenna by Friday.
In a letter send to the superintendent and all board members Wednesday, a group of parents said they wrote the letter on behalf of the 1,500 families within the district that has approximately 10,000 students.
"Your message on September 14th was not enough," the letter reads. "...If you want our trust and faith, you will communicate more openly and transparently as you promised."
Among the demands include a face-to-face meeting no later than Friday. Parents also want to have the synchronous, hybrid model of learning to start no later than September 28.
Students at the district began hybrid learning last week, though the district leadership announced that students between fifth grade and twelfth grade were to begin exclusively remote learning on September 15.
Hundreds of students protested the decision outside of the district offices Tuesday.
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According to the letter, 80 percent of students chose the hybrid model of learning.
"At no point your address did we hear any discussion of our children's mental health and welfare," the letter said. "The abrupt ending to the 2019-2020 academic year and the tumultuous start to this one has left many of them reeling. We need to know the district is as concerned as the parents are."
The district said that they could not implement the hybrid model as promised and ultimately rejected applications from 43 teachers who may have been hired to fill vacancies caused by retirements and resignations.
The parents said they will petition the Board of Regents and the governor's office with a neglect of education.
"In your address you asked us to 'give you time' and to 'keep the lines of communication open'," the letter said. "We have given you several opportunities to communicate with us but to no avail. This meeting is a very good first step in making that happen."
Acting Superintendent John McKenna had this message for district families on social media Thursday.
The school district also issued the following statement:
The District is committed to keeping the lines of communication open and ensuring transparency as we continue to move forward in finalizingour plans and timeline forproviding an equitable education for all students.Dr. McKenna met with Class Officers, along with theStudent Interhigh Advisory Council, which has student leaders from all three high schools, on Monday. He will be meeting with student leaders again next week. In addition, Dr. McKenna met withParent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) leadershipon Wednesday night to have an open discussionand listen to the concerns of parents in the community.
We will also be meeting with the PTSA leadership next week.We have mobilized, strategized, and are moving methodically with our committees to find solutions both short and long term.
We will Reset, Relaunch, and Return