Queens Student Receives Special Waiver From DOE
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The Department of Education made an exception Monday to a long-standing rule by allowing a Queens student to attend a school outside of his neighborhood.
The move is unique because the school is named for his uncle, who died in the September 11th attacks.
Christopher Echevarria, 4, was initially denied admission to PS 22 in Jackson Heights.
The school was renamed to honor his uncle, Christopher A. Santora, a fallen firefighter who died at the World Trade Center on September 11th.
The Department of Education says Echevarria was denied because the school is crowded and because preference is given to children who live in Jackson Heights -- Echevarria lives in Long Island City.
The family appealed and he has been granted admission into the school because of the unique circumstances.