Buffalo schools official accuses ex-Durham superintendent of sexual harassment

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — A notice of claim was filed Thursday against former Buffalo Public Schools superintendent Pascal Mubenga and a board member alleging sexual harassment against both of them.

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The claim, not yet a lawsuit and filed by attorney John Elmore and a New York City-based law firm, alleges that Mubenga and Lewis “Muki” Hawkins, who represents the Central District of the Buffalo school board, made “unwanted advances” at another district official, identified as Antoinette Amos, the district’s equity and governance officer.

Mubenga is accused of sexually harassing Amos on several occasions dating back to last December. In one incident, Mubenga is accused of placing Amos’ hand on his genitals and told her he was “in love” with her. He is further accused of sending inappropriate text messages, including a photo he had taken of her during a virtual meeting.

In one alleged incident in April, Mubenga sought to have Amos come to his office through his staff, “one such summons was characterized to claimant as ‘probably time for your daily molestation.’”

It is alleged that in June Amos was pointing out a window in Mubenga’s conference room and Mubenga struck her on the buttocks. She responded by hitting Mubenga and telling him to stop.

Mubenga abruptly resigned as superintendent earlier this week after less than a year on the job during a school board meeting on Monday.

The board accepted the resignation and waived the typical 90-day notice period. Mubenga did not receive severance or a buyout. He had signed a four-year contract with a $285,000 annual salary in August 2025.

“The progression shows that this is a pattern of conduct,” Amos’ attorney Kristen Elmore-Garcia said. “There’s not any one specific allegation that stands out as more egregious than the other. What is absolutely egregious is that this continuously occurred over months.”

In Hawkins’ case, he is accused of sexually harassing Amos on several occasions dating back to February.

In one alleged case in February, Amos drove Hawkins to his vehicle; during the incident Hawkins “leaned back, spread his legs, rubbed the inside of his thigh, and stated ‘tackle me.’” He is accused of sending a text message later in the night saying “I’m glad you didn’t tackle me.”

“The forcible touching is an escalation by someone who feels comfortable in abusing their power, someone who does not feel as though they will be held accountable,” Elmore-Garcia said.

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He is also accused of sending inappropriate texts to Amos, showing up at her office unannounced, and spreading false statements that she was involved in an affair, including to board president Kathy Evans-Brown.

An independent investigation against an unnamed board member began in June, but it was not confirmed at the time which board member was being investigated.

In addition to his school board position Hawkins is the sports director at WUFO, a Buffalo radio station. He is also an area football coach.

Amos is seeking monetary damages, damages for “mental and emotional injury,” as well as other punitive damages.

“We felt it was important to be as thorough as possible with these allegations,” Elmore-Garcia said. “To put the school district on notice early, that this was documented, that this was complained of, and in many instances witnessed by third parties.”

The claim comes at a turbulent time for the district and its board. The board already has an open seat after Cindi McEachon resigned from her North District seat last month, citing concerns about the board’s practices as well as with accountability and transparency. Monday’s meeting in which Mubenga resigned was initially called to discuss candidates for McEachon’s former seat.

The district is also facing the fallout from a viral video showing a violent altercation between a teacher’s aide and a student, and overarching concern for a multimillion-dollar deficit.

In a response to WIVB News 4, the district cited its policy of not commenting on pending or potential litigation.

Before moving to New York, Mubenga served as superintendent of Durham Public Schools from 2017 until his resignation in 2024.

His departure from Durham came after the district faced widespread criticism over payroll errors that left hundreds of employees underpaid. The salary problems stemmed from the implementation of a new compensation plan approved by the school board.

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