Petition calls for removal of New Rochelle school officials

The violence at New Rochelle High School is prompting an Iona College student to take action.

Iona College freshman Brendan Eckstein is calling on leaders of the New Rochelle School District to step down. “I truly believe Superintendent Osborne, Principal Richardson and New Rochelle School Board members should resign immediately due to their blatant, reckless and careless approach to the increase in violent crime in the school they're entrusted with,” says Eckstein.

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Eckstein says he created an online petition calling for the removal of the officials following three violent assaults involving students at New Rochelle High School.

The violence started on Jan. 10, when a student stabbed 16-year-old Valeree Schwab to death. A week later, a suspect, whose name has not been released, stabbed his classmate in the torso inside a classroom.

Police are still searching for the suspect, who has a violent past. Police say the suspect was himself attacked by a group of teens at a nearby pizza place the day before. Police have issued a warrant for his arrest.

Nearly 400 people have signed the petition already.  Eckstein says it's not about the number of people who sign, it's about the message he's trying to send. “This community's gone through so much tragedy and so much of an image problem and kids don't feel safe. You can't fix a totaled car, you have to replace it.”