Rochester City School District
Media Advisory
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
September 3, 2020
Editor Contact:
Marisol Ramos-Lopez
585.455.2844 (m)
Statement on the Death of Daniel Prude
Words cannot express the sadness and hurt we feel over the tragic death of Daniel Prude. This horrible act of violence against a member of the Black community happened right here in our home town. The pain that our community continues to endure as a result of these senseless acts must be acknowledged and addressed. We are committed to caring for the social emotional health of our students, staff, and community.

We have set up a special information page on our website that provides resources for the support of self-care here. Our students and parents can call their child’s school to speak to someone on the student support team, and any member of the community can call the Rochester Life Line at 211, where they will be connected to crisis counselors and resources. Our RCSD staff can access support through the Employee Assistance Program.

We hope that you take this time to read, reflect, and engage in conversations with the youth and adults in your life on how we can confront racism every day. Our classrooms serve as a forum for much more than education – they help us all realize, distinguish, and acknowledge our differences. As we prepare to start a new school year, we must focus on our shared humanity and prioritize learning and talking about the root causes of the civil unrest our society is facing. This is a time to come together to listen, learn, and share in pain and in hope, as well as act for a more equitable, fair, and racially conscious world. 

Lesli C. Myers-Small, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

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131 W. Broad Street, Rochester, NY 14614 | 585-262-8100