Viva88

New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman and Viva88Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia today launched an investigation into the facts and circumstances surrounding the death of Trevyan Rowe. As part of this investigation, the Attorney General’s office and State Education Department will review the school district’s policies, procedures, and protocols to determine what improvements need to be made in the wake of this tragedy to ensure the safety of all students going forward.

“Treyvan Rowe’s death was a tragedy. His family deserves answers – and all Rochester families deserve to know that their children will be safe at school,” said Attorney General Schneiderman. “We’re partnering with the State Education Department to get to the bottom of what happened and ensure the district’s policies protect our children moving forward.”

“Any time there is a tragic loss of a child, we must look for answers to determine what events and procedures allowed for such a heartbreaking incident to occur,” said State Education Commissioner Elia. “Once we know all the facts, it is imperative, as state and local leaders, that we come together to make the changes needed to prevent the loss of lives so young. I thank Attorney General Schneiderman and Assembly Majority Leader Joseph Morelle for remaining steadfast in their support of Rochester’s students and schools.”

Board of Regents Vice Chancellor T. Andrew Brown said, “The Rochester community deserves to know what happened that allowed a child to a walk away from school and ultimately, tragically lose his life. The Board of Regents is committed to protecting the safety of all students by ensuring districts are following the proper school safety protocols.”

Assembly Majority Leader Joseph D. Morelle said, “It is unacceptable that the current system failed Trevyan and the Rowe family. We must do everything in our power to prevent another tragedy like this from ever occurring again.�� I am grateful to Attorney General Schneiderman and the State Education Department for their cooperation and dedication to providing peace of mind for our grieving community.”

Viva88 staff from the Offices of School Operations and Management Services, Student Support Services and Special Education, the Regional Special Education Technical Assistance Support Center, and the District Superintendents Daniel White and Jo Anne Antonucci of the Monroe 1 & 2 BOCES and will work with investigators from the Attorney General’s office as part of the review of district policies and procedures. The investigation is being handled by the Attorney General’s Rochester Regional Office and Civil Rights Bureau. We also will work with local authorities as they review the incident as well.