ROCHESTER, N.Y. — New York's education leader is speaking out about the nation's latest school shooting.

What You Need To Know

  • New York's education leader is speaking out about the nation's latest school shooting

  • The commissioner of Education and president of the University of the State of New York, Betty Rosa, spent the morning at a Rochester city school

  • "We really have to look at what happened," Rosa said. "What are the root causes of some of these issues?"

Wednesday’s school shooting in Georgia that left four people dead — two students and two teachers — may very well trigger feelings of fear for students and parents alike, as this is the first week back to school for many districts in upstate New York.

The leader of the New York State Education Department is weighing in.

The commissioner of Education and president of the University of the State of New York, Betty Rosa, spent the morning at a Rochester city school.

She reminds parents that schools are safe, and that efforts continue to make them even safer havens.

“Safety, safety, safety — that is essential to give voice to this issue in terms of parents," Rosa said.

Rosa met with the mayor and other politicians at Wilson Magnet High School in Rochester as students were arriving at the start of the school day.

There was tight security at the school, as students passed through metal detectors and had bags searched if necessary.

That’s not an increase in security due to the shooting at the school in Georgia, simply the policy at this school.

The commissioner responded to questions about that tragedy, saying she wants parents to feel confident that collectively, she said, people take care of their children from the minute they arrive to school until they leave.

She says the office holds regular safety summits in Albany and is developing a tool to work with the Department of Homeland Security, all in an effort to develop improved safety plans.

“Whenever these issues happen, the one thing, you know, we can’t keep saying condolences," Rosa said. "We really have to look at what happened. What are the root causes of some of these issues that keeps creeping up? And I’m sure some of you have heard, mental health, right?"

Rosa touts New York state’s mental health and gun control laws.

The circumstances, however, surrounding the state of mind the alleged shooter in the Georgia school shooting incident are not known.

However, the commissioner says more needs to be done to recognize the signs of mental health and then taking that a step further and knowing what to do with that.

Overall, the commissioner says it takes a village and it’s an all-hands-on-deck effort.