In a letter to colleagues sent Tuesday, May 24, New York State Department of Education Commissioner Betty Rosa said the department had worked with state educators to review content from the June Regents Exams following the May 14 attack.
“During that review, our experts determined that there is content on the new Regents Examination in United States History and Government (Framework) that has the potential to compound student trauma caused by the recent violence in Buffalo,” Rosa said.
With testing scheduled for Wednesday, June 1, there was not enough time to produce an alternative test, Rosa said.
The Department of Education plans to ask the Board of Regents to approve a graduation exemption for those students who were scheduled to take the exam, Rosa said.
That exemption would also apply to students planning to take the exam in August 2022 and January 2023.
“The Department is committed to supporting our students, schools, and communities in the wake of the tragedy in Buffalo,” Rosa said. “We will work together to ensure that goodness and compassion will always triumph over ignorance and hatred.”
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