Buffalo Employee Files Sexual Harassment Claim Against Former Superintendent and Board Member

Overview

• The Florestal Law Firm announced that Antoinette Amos filed a Notice of Claim Thursday accusing former superintendent Dr. Pascal Mubenga of forcibly kissing and inappropriately touching her and accusing board member Muki Hawkins of making sexually suggestive remarks and later retaliating.
• Mubenga resigned abruptly earlier this week, 11 months into a four-year contract, in a move the board allowed without the contract’s 90-day notice requirement and with no severance payment in the contract.
• Under New York law the district now has 90 days to question Amos under oath after which she may bring a civil lawsuit if she chooses.
• Buffalo Public Schools declined to comment on pending litigation while the teachers’ union and some board members are demanding a fully independent, impartial investigation and some local officials have urged state involvement.
• The claim and the board’s handling of earlier reports have raised fresh concerns about workplace safety, transparency, and district governance that could lead to administrative hearings and further legal action.