Former McKinley High Principal Crystal Boling-Barton Has Died

The long-time Principal and Administrator in the Buffalo Public School system has passed away according to a statement issued by her family.

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The family of Boling-Barton released a statement in the early morning hours on Wednesday, June 15, 2022, regarding her death.

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Mother Crystal Boling-Barton. She served 42 years in the Buffalo Public School System and was the Principal of McKinley High School. She began her career as a teacher and was able to reach a small group of students, but she had bigger goals. So, she went into Administration, so that she could help and reach even more students and she certainly did that. She loved her job and took it very seriously. She enjoyed the relationships she made over the years and those relationships include her colleagues and the students that she oversaw. She has achieved some extraordinary accomplishments throughout her lifetime and our entire family is very proud of her. She will be missed dearly. Thank you to everyone who reached out with their thoughts and prayers. We ask that you please continue to keep our family in your prayers and we also ask for privacy at this time.
-The Hunt Family

Crystal Boling-Barton, an educator with more than 40 years of service to Buffalo students as a teacher, school principal, and district administrator had recently retired after an almost five-year legal battle with the ACLU and the BPS regarding discrimination claims against a student. During the legal battle, Boling-Barton had been on paid administrative leave from the school district.

At the end of the legal battle, Boling-Barton was able to reach a settlement with the Buffalo Public School system that ended with her receiving a sizeable financial compensation. The settlement also offered her the option to return to McKinley as the building principal, however, she chose to retire in April 2022.

Boling-Barton impacted many lives in her long career in Buffalo. She also was the mother of 3 and had at least 8 grandchildren.