Buffalo Public School safety concerns rise after teachers injured in student fights
Marc Bruno, a teacher at Riverside High School and a representative for the Buffalo Teachers Federation, said that while student fights are nothing new, the frequency and severity of recent incidents — coupled with what he describes as a lack of adequate response from the district — mark a dangerous turning point.
'They don't want to have those students who are doing the right thing every single day further traumatized by a small minority of students,' Bruno said.
According to Bruno, two teachers at Riverside Academy were injured during fights within the past two weeks. One teacher was reportedly punched multiple times in the face and taken to the emergency room. Another teacher suffered a bruised shoulder after being pushed aside.
At Southside Elementary, a female substitute administrator was trampled by a group of 7th grade students rushing to film a fight. Sources close to the situation said the administrator was hospitalized with a broken hip and a neck injury.
'The District is aware of these physical altercations,' Buffalo Public Schools said in a statement. 'This type of behavior greatly compromises the safety of staff and students and will not be tolerated under this administration.'
The district added that the students involved have been disciplined in accordance with the Buffalo Public Schools Code of Conduct.
For Bruno and other educators, the response falls short.
'As the union rep there, I filed a grievance about school safety and violence 1,147 days ago, and it's still pending,' Bruno said.
The unresolved grievance includes concerns over recurring fights, weapons being brought into school buildings, malfunctioning door locks, and the transfer of violent students to Riverside without prior notice. Bruno said the case may finally go to arbitration within the next month.
'The fact that it's taking 1,147 days to address these issues — and counting — shows how totally dysfunctional the Buffalo Public Schools are,' Bruno said.
Bruno claims he has repeatedly emailed the district about safety issues and was even written up for doing so. According to him, the district's policy requires staff to channel concerns through a secretary, but he insists he was acting in his capacity as a union representative.
As a result, Bruno said he plans to bring the issue before a Public Employment Relations Board judge in early May.
'We're charging the district with retaliating against me for protected union activity,' Bruno said. 'I am unafraid. I know what my rights are, and I'm a passionate advocate for the students and staff at my school.'
The mounting tension underscores ongoing concerns from educators who say safety issues have reached a breaking point and that change is long overdue.
Dillon Morello is a reporter from Pittsburgh who has been part of the News 4 team since September of 2023. See more of his work here and follow him on Twitter.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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