Brooklyn Principal Passes Away From Coronavirus Complications
The Brooklyn community is mourning the loss of a beloved school principal who has sadly passed away from complications of the novel coronavirus.
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Dezann Romain had been leading the Brooklyn Democracy Academy in Brownsville, a transfer school that is dedicated to helping students who have dropped out or fallen behind in credits in traditional high school settings. Romain, who was promoted to principal in 2017, was one of the city’s first public school officials to succumb to the epidemic, the New York Post reported. She was just 36-years-old.
The news site did not say if Romain had any pre-existing health conditions. However, The Post did share statements from her colleagues who remembered her as a great leader, a dedicated educator, the woman who treated all of her students like they were important, as well as their ”sister.” The union said in a statement,
“It is with profound sadness and overwhelming grief that we announce the passing of our sister, CSA member Dezann Romain, Principal of Brooklyn Democracy Academy, due to complications from Coronavirus. Our prayers are with her family and school community as we mourn alongside them. Please keep Principal Romain in your thoughts and continue to do everything possible to keep yourselves and your loved ones safe during this health crisis.”
Courtney Winkfield, who works for the education department’s Office of Equity and Access, told Chalkbeat that Romain “gave her entire self to that community, and it did not matter how incredibly complex a problem was.”
“We’re all experiencing a deep sense of confusion, uncertainty, and sadness, and it’s more important than ever to provide support to one another,” Department of Education Chancellor Richard Carranza said in a tweet.
We’re all experiencing a deep sense of confusion, uncertainty, and sadness, and it’s more important than ever to provide support to one another. We’ll be there for the students and staff through whatever means necessary during this impossibly difficult time. [2/2]
— Chancellor David C. Banks (@DOEChancellor) March 24, 2020
As we previously reported, New York has become the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in the US. The state has reported over 23,200 cases with at least 183 deaths.
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