BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — A Buffalo Public Schools staff member is on paid administrative leave following a student attack inside a classroom at Hutch Tech, and the district says an investigation is underway.
Video obtained by 7 News appears to show a student physically attacking the staff member while other students watch and record. The employee has worked at that school in the district for approximately 38 years.
In a statement, the district said:
"The district is aware of an incident that occurred on Monday, June 15, at PS 304. A staff member has been placed on paid administrative leave pending an investigation. We cannot comment further at this time."
Rich Nigro, president of the Buffalo Teachers Federation, said the video prompted an immediate reaction.
"My initial impression having seen something like that was just disgust, shock, and the man is he's been an employee in this district at that school for some 38 years," Nigro said.
Nigro said physical altercations against school employees have become a growing concern and have contributed to workers' compensation claims across the district.
"It's happened before. People are assaulted throughout the year," Nigro said.
"This seems to be the only profession where you have to be concerned with going to work and then if you're assaulted, then you're met with questions. Well, what did this person do to prompt that student to act out like that? People should not have to go to work and fear for their safety from the kids they're working with," Nigro said.
According to Nigro, the student involved has been suspended, which he called appropriate. He said, however, that discipline is only one part of the process.
"What could you do differently next time? How do you think this made the other person feel? Get them to walk through these options so that they can make mistakes when they're adolescents and learn from them and not make mistakes when they leave school. When they get out of school, you make a mistake like that and it is going to be life-changing," Nigro said.
Nigro said teachers are responsible for educating students and are increasingly being asked to fill other roles.
"You're ensuring the safety of the kids, you're building their self-esteem up and their self-confidence up. Obviously, you're teaching your curriculum, you're feeding them, you're clothing them," Nigro said.
The Buffalo Educational Support Team, known as BEST, had not yet responded to a request for comment.
