Students and parents press Buffalo schools on water access, safety and counseling supports

Students and parents used public comment at the Sept. 17 Buffalo Board of Education meeting to press district leaders for faster fixes on student wellness issues, including drinking water access, school safety and mental‑health supports.

Fifteen‑year‑old Quanen Duff, a youth community health worker from Burgard High School, told the board that fights, threats and staff assaults have harmed students’ sense of safety and that canceled athletic programs remove positive supports. “When students don’t feel connected, they skip class. When they don’t feel supported, they give up,” he said.

Olmsted sophomore Alua Baum reported that most drinking fountains at her school are old, unfiltered or out of service, and that students routinely cannot find drinkable water during the school day. “At Olmsted, there are approximately five water fountains per floor. Four out of those five water fountains are old, dirty, and unfiltered,” she said.

Parent and restorative practitioner Jessica Bauer Walker and other speakers urged the board to operationalize restorative practices and to co‑produce wellness strategies with families and students. “Restorative practices and wellness and shared decision making needs to be operationalized. It needs to be co‑produced with those directly impacted,” Walker said.

Superintendent Dr. Pascual Mupinga acknowledged the comments and said district staff took notes and would address the issues. Board members and staff said district teams are inventorying needs and will coordinate supports; no specific timetable for repairs or expanded counseling capacity was presented at the meeting.

Speakers asked the board for clearer reporting and responsiveness so families know when repairs or staffing changes will happen. District leaders said they are collecting the concerns and will follow up with school and operational staff.

The testimony leaves open when and how the district will resolve outstanding water‑fountain maintenance and staffing needs for counseling and safety interventions; district staff committed to follow‑up.