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Handcuffed students protest suspensions

WIVB.com

Posted by: Eli George

Updated: Jan 25, 2012 10:17 PM

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Frustrated parents and students gave the Buffalo School Board an earful Wednesday night about its out-of-school suspension policy. They argue keeping children out of school doesn't solve the problem.

Children carrying books and clad in handcuffs chanted, "Books, not prison," as they attended Wednesday night's Buffalo School Board meeting. The demonstration organized by the Citizen Action group is against the district's out-of-school suspension policy. They want an end to suspensions for non-violent offenses.

Brian Trzeciak of Citizen Action said, "These kids are statistics. They do want books, not prisons. They want a chance at education. If you keep on kicking kids out of school for small things, like wearing a hood, or ripped jeans, you're not giving them the education they deserve."

The group wants the district to change its policy in honor of 15-year-old Jawaan Daniels, a Lafayette High School freshman who was shot and killed at a bus stop in 2010, the same day he was suspended from school for wandering the halls. Parents are frustrated that the policy hasn't changed since then.

Ina Ferguson Downing said, "If a child had got killed in the suburbs, instantly something would have been done, instantly."

"Instead of having opportunities to educate them and make them better people, you want to put them in streets, streets you have never been in," said John Washington.

The district has held four public hearings on the suspension policy and will take a closer look at the recommendations made.

Board member Ralph Hernandez said, "We'll have that discussion. We'll send that information to committee so the board can review how it effects legally the whole gamut of a suspension situation and go from there. But we're moving on it as quickly as we can."

Proposed changes to the district's suspension policy will be presented to the board next week.

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