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Iona Student Petitions For New Rochelle School Officials' Resignations

An Iona College student has started a change.org petition imploring New Rochelle school officials to resign in the wake of several violent incidents involving high school students in the past two weeks.

There has been an increased police presence outside New Rochelle High School.

There has been an increased police presence outside New Rochelle High School.

Photo Credit: Zak Failla

Brendan Eckstein, a student at Iona College started the petition on Jan. 18, hours after the third stabbing incident involving students on North Avenue, including the fatal stabbing of 16-year-old Valerie Schwab outside Dunkin’ Donuts on Jan. 10.

The petition calls for the resignation of Schools Superintendent Brian Osborne, High School Principal Reginald Richardson and the School Board “immediately due to their blatant, reckless, and careless approach to the increase in violent crime in the school that they are entrusted with.”

Since the incidents, the school district has increased its uniformed police presence at the high school, with officers posted at every entrance outside the building. Security measures have since come under review, according to officials.

The petition also calls on the police department to set up a foot post for a police officer to continually monitor North Avenue “due to the heavy volume of students and due to the increase in violent crime.”

As of Jan. 23, the petition had garnered 348 “signatures.”

New Rochelle Mayor Noam Bramson deferred comment to Tuesday night’s public safety forum at the high school, when he, Richardson, School Board President Rachel Relkins and others are expected to speak and address a large crowd. School officials could not immediately be reached for comment early on Tuesday afternoon.

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