Buffalo School Board cancels Arizona conference trip amid concerns over spending

Three Buffalo School Board members scheduled to attend a conference this weekend will no longer attend after questions were raised about spending on travel while the district considers closing schools.

School Board President Kathy Evans-Brown and board members Stephon Wright and Lewis Muki Hawkins had planned to attend the 2026 WOZ Immersion Conference, which starts this weekend at a four-star resort and spa in Arizona. STEM instructors from the district are still scheduled to go.

On Thursday afternoon, Evans-Brown announced that no board members would attend because fiscal responsibility must come first.

The original cost was $15,500. The decision for the board members to cancel saves the district about $3,500.

The decision followed criticism from At-Large School Board Member Larry Scott, who questioned both the optics of the trip and whether it had been properly approved.

"To me it's quite troubling," Scott said. "It's not setting a good example and sending a good message to our stakeholders."

WATCH: Buffalo School Board cancels Arizona conference trip amid concerns over spending

The conflict was reported first by The Buffalo News on Wednesday.

The conference was started by Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak and provides science, technology, engineering, arts and math programs to schools.

The Buffalo School District has paid approximately $12 million to WOZ ED over the past four years to provide STEM programming in Buffalo schools.

The trip comes as the district faces a significant deficit and discussions about closing or merging schools.

"We are on, I believe, now our third school year with an almost $100 million deficit," Scott said. "We're obviously facing another significant deficit for next school year. And there's, as you know, a lot of conversation, meetings, discussion about closing schools, merging schools."

Scott said he also raised concerns about whether the board had properly authorized the trip.

"I started to raise concern internally that this was not something that was discussed with the entire board and approved by the entire board," Scott said.

On Wednesday, the School Board announced it would hold a special meeting Friday afternoon.

Scott said it appeared that meeting had been scheduled to approve the trip before the three board members were expected to leave. Asked how he planned to vote, Scott said, "I'll absolutely be a no vote."

But by Thursday afternoon, the Friday meeting was canceled, and then Evans-Brown announced that the travel plans had changed.

She also made clear that the district's relationship with WOZ ED is not ending.