BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Plans to close two schools in Buffalo have been temporarily put on hold. Buffalo Public Schools leaders confirmed no schools will close this week as the Board of Education waits for new leadership to take over in January.
The school district said the board will take no action on school closures at Wednesday's scheduled meeting. Board President Dr. Kathy Evans-Brown and Superintendent Pascal Mubenga agreed to pause the process until the new Board of Education is in place.
Katrinna Martin-Bordeaux, a member of the school closure committee, believes that political pressure may have influenced the pause. She said she hopes the district will now make decisions that prioritize the needs of all families and students.
"Ultimately, this decision is up to the superintendent, but I hope that while we have politics on the table, that everyone is considering the ramifications for every community, not just some that appear to be powerful in the moment," Martin-Bordeaux said.
Watch: Buffalo Public School closure plans put on hold until new board takes office
This decision means D'Youville Porter Campus School PS 3 and Early Childhood Center PS 90 will remain open for now.
In a statement, West District Board Member-Elect Talia Rodriguez said the pause provides an opportunity to reassess the next steps with transparency and community engagement. She added that, once sworn in, she plans to work with the board, educators, families and students to make decisions that strengthen the district's financial stability while still protecting learners, school communities and cultural identities of West Side bilingual schools.
The district is currently facing an $80 million budget deficit, a factor cited as part of the original discussion about closing schools.
