BUFFALO, N.Y. -- District leaders say in-school and out-of-school suspension numbers are at an all time high and they're now asking for the public's input to find a solution.
An advisory board tasked with recommending changes to the code of conduct, are holding a series of meetings to get the public's input about how to fix the suspension issue.
According to a district report, as many as 1,000 students on average are suspended in any given month. 1,150 students were on short term suspension for the month of November. 226 were on long term suspension. Riverside High School leads the district in the number of short term suspensions. Burgard High School leads the district in the number of long term suspensions.
Dr. Will Keresztes, Associate Superintendent of the Buffalo School District, says the district needs to do a better job of differntiating between offenses punishable by suspension and offenses that can be punished by another method.
"I think it varies from school to school and that's one of the things that we're hearing from the public -- that perhaps the district hasn't been strong enough in standardizing policies and procedures and that's a very powerful message that we're taking very serious." says Kervesztes.
More than 75 people showed up to the first public hearing held Monday afternoon. Only a handful of people showed up to the meeting Monday evening. The final public meeting will be held Thursday night from 6:00 to 8:00 at the Waterfront School on 4th Avenue in Buffalo.
After the public hearings are completed, the advisory board will compile a final list of recommendations that will be sent to the superintendent on January 19th. The board is hoping to have the code of conduct changed by next month.
Click on the video link above to see Marissa Bailey's report.