A looming civil lawsuit against Buffalo Board of Education member Lewis “Muki” Hawkins will proceed in court despite an internal school district probe finding insufficient proof to substantiate sexual harassment and retaliation allegations against him.
The conflicting developments follow an independent review conducted by the law firm Hodgson Russ LLP, which examined accusations brought forward by three district employees. Announcing the conclusion of the inquiry at a recent school board meeting, district leadership revealed that the attorney heading the review, Luisa Bostick, found “no substantiated evidence of a violation of law or policy with regard to any allegations of sexual harassment or retaliation,” clearing Hawkins of administrative wrongdoing under district policy.
Attorneys representing the complainants, however, insist that the district’s internal findings carry no weight in court, confirming that formal civil litigation is moving ahead as scheduled…