Holland Patent Superintendent's Letter To Parents Sparks Controversy Surrounding Student's Death

The death of a Holland Patent teenager has a community mourning... and taking sides. As we've reported, 16-year-old Anusha Yagey died Tuesday following a car crash on his way to school. The Superintendent of schools sent out a letter while the young man was in the hospital as to how she makes decisions to close school with regard to the weather. And that letter has caused quite the controversy among Holland Patent parents.

The concensus we gathered from the people we talked with is more about a string of bad timing. From whether or not to close the school, the communication since the tragedy and what some see as damage control - It's a messy situation.

"Please wait 1 week , until they bury Anusha. We are burying, we are going thru hell. Please don't do this," says Debbie Chandler, Anusa's aunt.

In the wake of a tragedy - this is some of the emotion being felt in Holland Patent.

"What happens if there's a storm next week, while we wait, and this happens to another kid?" says Lori Storms, Holland Patent parent.

Some Holland Patent parents say the superintendent made a poor decision that resulted in a tragic death. But when we began talking with these concerned parents, some of Anusha's family members showed up.

"I am very angry but you gotta understand something, this is my family going through this. We don't want to turn this into a bloodbath," says Chandler.

Thats Anusha's aunt. She asked residents not to speak with us, but they said this is something the community should know about.

"One of the factors she indicates is other districts closing or delays and she ignored them," says Storms.

That same morning, several surrounding districts had delays or closures. In another section of the letter, Superintendent Davis says "Parents need to assess the situation as well." Some say that underlined statement was a slap in the face.

"It's a crock because last I checked if we don't send them to school, they call us and tell us you have to send them to school," says Storms.

"Students are to be at school on time. For her to put that statement, that's false, that's an illegal absence. That's not an excused absence," says Phil Lucason, Holland Patent parent and teacher.

Lucason is a teacher in the district but he wants to make it clear he is speaking out as a parent about the contents of the letter.

"It was unfair, it was cold-hearted, it didn't take into account feelings of the students, communities, family, none of that. What it did was kinda showed her true colors," says Lucason.

That's a feeling shared by other angry residents.

"She will fight tooth and nail until we carry her away in a wagon," says Diana Carrick.

Eyewitness News reached out to Superintendent Kathleen Davis. She wasn't available to comment on camera and we received a two sentence response about the death of the student. Later today, we received what the school called a "revised statement."
   
Davis said, "Many factors are considered on school delays and closings. None of them supersede safety. The weather conditions were not inconsistent with winter conditions in upstate N.Y.  Weather here is more difficult than in other districts. We sit at the foothills of the Adirondacks and we are the largest school geographically in Oneida County taking in ten townships with varying weather patterns. All weather is local. Eleven surrounding schools in our component area remained opened on Tuesday, February 12, 2013. We followed our same time tested procedures that we have followed over the past 30 years. Every year it is normal for parents and other concerned people to question how school closing decisions are made. Therefore, every year, for the past eleven years. It has been our responsibility to send this snow day letter throughout the year, it is posted on our web site, and we routinely provide copies of the letter to anyone who asks. I did so again on Tuesday, February 12, due to the number of requests we were receiving.  My heart is heavy with grief.This tragedy has affected me in many ways. Anusha was a wonderful child who I had the great opportunity to work with over the years to ensure his transition to our country and the school district. On a personal note,  this is a loss that will always be in my heart and mind."

Again, the community members we spoke with today say they're not speaking on behalf of Anusha, but on behalf of Superintendent Davis' decision. And behind a community taking sides is a family in mourning. Anusha Yagey's brother, Joey, took time to speak with Eyewitness News this afternoon. Joey was driving when the car crash happened Tuesday morning, taking the life of his little brother. Joey says he believes school should have been delayed or closed that morning, but isn't interested in taking sides.
   
"I mean it does feel good knowing that there are people out there, Mr. Lucason cares, everyone cares about it. But, I'm not going to say it's her fault that my little brother is dead.  I mean, yes, it's her fault the school wasn't closed. We should have had an hour delay, I would have liked one, but for all we know, he could have died some other way.  Maybe it was just his time to go, but I don't know, I believe the roads closing, even if it was a second later, these are all factors that you just can't control," says Joey Yagey, Anusha's brother.

Calling hours for Anusha Yagey will take place on Sunday at Nicholas J. Bush Funeral Home in Rome from 2 to 7 in the afternoon. Yagey will be laid to rest on Monday, after a mass at Saint Leo's Church in Holland Patent. Friends are invited to the mass at 11, but the burial will be private.