Schools share blame for student problems
by Laura Vatalaro, reporter

    Recently, a young Arlington man committed suicide in his junior high school after a student-teacher conference. This event was not only absolutely horrifying and unsettling, it opens the question of why someone so young would feel the need to take his own life.

    Something like this has happened before in Arlington, and elsewhere. To my knowledge, the Arlington Independent School District (AISD) has had at least one suicide per year since 1996, the last two being at my alma mater.

    While these previous suicides in no way justify the death of this young man, they do bring up one question: What can the district do to prevent these young adults from feeling death is the only way to fix their problems?

    Schools often point the finger at parents when asked about violent acts. While parents are responsible for their child, the blame should not be totally on them.

    The AISD, like many districts, has adopted the No Tolerance program for its schools. This policy basically means a student can mess up once, but if the student doesn’t straighten up, he or she is out. This policy may seem like the answer to parents who want safe schools. However, it can be as bad as putting a drug addict in jail; they don’t learn anything from the experience, and they can deteriorate because of it.

    This type of discipline does work for some students. Those who bring a gun to school or fight need such iron-fisted punishment to snap them out of whatever stage they are in. However, those caught with drugs or who have frequent absences or falling grades should receive the chance to examine their problems before punishment is dealt.

    Having experienced the No Tolerance program, I understand why a parent-teacher conference might result in a young man’s suicide. Often, the teacher or principal will tell the student that unless changes are made quickly, he or she will be sent to an alternative school or held back. The conferences seldom deal with why attendance or grades are dropping, which is the root of the problem.

    School districts should reconsider how they treat students in their schools. Forcing sick children to stay in school for funding reasons or not allowing high school students to visit with friends during passing periods is uncalled for. Treating anyone as less of a person simply because of age is a travesty.

    A young person who enjoys school, at least the majority of the time, doesn’t feel the hopelessness that there is no way out. At least, they should experience a feeling of equality. Schools’ current method of operation will not cause these young adults to turn to violence or suicide, but it does not prevent it, and that is the problem.