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Read the press release here.

10 NYC Students Have Committed Suicide in 7 Weeks, Chancellor Says

By Jess Wisloski | March 23, 2014 4:15pm
 DOE Chancellor Carmen Farina speaking to parents in Washington Heights.
DOE Chancellor Carmen Farina speaking to parents in Washington Heights.
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DNAinfo/Nigel Chiwaya

MANHATTAN — Ten of New York City's public schoolchildren have committed suicide in less than two months, Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña told educators on Saturday, in line with city figures that show suicides on the rise, according to a news story published Sunday.

In the few weeks she's been in office, Fariña told a group of 250 new principals at Stuyvesant High School that she'd seen 10 cases of students who had taken their own lives, the NY Post reported.

"As chancellor, I’ve been on the job seven weeks, and there have already been 10 reported suicides. We cannot allow those," Farina said, in a recording obtained by the newspaper.

She said she is contacted whenever one occurs, and "it makes me heartsick," she told the principals.

The figure is one that has not been released publicly, the paper reported, and education workers could not provide further information other than to say none of the deaths occurred on school property.

Fariña's comments came as she asked the leaders to look for children that might have problems, and find ways to connect with them or offer encouragement.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Education assured the Post that training was being provided to schools and principals to help with the "traumatic" incidents.