Judge Hears Arguments in King Center Charter School Case

BY SAMUEL RADFORD III

Buffalo, NY — On Thursday, September 4, Erie County Supreme Court Judge Joseph C. Lorigo heard oral arguments in a closely watched case concerning the future of King Center Charter School (KCCS), Buffalo’s oldest charter school.

The petitioners—former administrators, parents, and community leaders—say the school’s Board of Trustees has been unlawfully constituted for years and has engaged in a pattern of governance failures, retaliatory actions, and financial mis management. They argue that these actions have caused “irreparable harm” to KCCS’s students, staff, and families.

At the center of the case is whether the KCCS Board acted outside its authority when it terminated senior administrators during the 8th grade graduation in June, attempted to rewrite its bylaws to shrink the mini mum number of trustees, and hired a new principal weeks before the start of the school year. Petitioners point out that the school’s bylaws require a minimum of 11 trustees, but the Board has operated with as few as six or seven—and at its most recent meeting only four active voting members.

“An unlawfully constituted board cannot amend its own bylaws, and every major decision since then is void,” the petitioners argue. They also cite a vote of no confidence by staff in 2024, the formation of a teachers’ union for the first time in 25 years, and nearly $1.2 mil lion in financial losses over the last two years.

Respondents, represented by the Board’s attorneys, argued that the case should be decided first by the SUNY Charter Schools Institute, the state agency charged with over sight of charter schools. SUNY CSI has already received complaints about the Board’s actions but has yet to take action.

Judge Lorigo did not issue an immediate ruling but reserved a decision and scheduled a full hearing on the merits of the case for October 8 and 9, 2025.

The outcome could have broad implications not only for King Center Charter School—where families are grappling with massive staff turn over, low enrollment, and leadership instability— but also for charter school oversight across New York State.

In the meantime, com munity leaders say they are ready with a solution. Petitioners have pro posed a slate of 12 qualified trustees—including school founders, parents, alumni, and former board members—that they believe could immediately restore lawful governance and stability at KCCS.

“This case is about more than one school,” said one parent involved in the petition. “It’s about whether our community will accept a board that breaks its own rules and jeopardizes our children’s education—or whether we will restore integrity and accountability to King Center Charter School.”

The October hearing will determine wheth er the Court intervenes directly to reconstitute the school’s governance or leaves the matter to SUNY CSI.