Four kids commit suicide in one week in Luzerne County. (Pittston: fit in, condo)

[fisheye]

Here is a link to the Morning Call article: Luzerne County student suicides reach 4 - mcall.com. Supposedly they are all unrelated. But it seems like a very high number for just one county. I hope that this is not a trend, fad or related.

My condolences to the parents.

[sheena12]

Originally Posted by fisheye

Here is a link to the Morning Call article: Luzerne County student suicides reach 4 - mcall.com. Supposedly they are all unrelated. But it seems like a very high number for just one county. I hope that this is not a trend, fad or related.

My condolences to the parents.

And mine as well. This is incredibly tragic and deserves some thought and examination.
It is reminiscent of the four disaffected teeneagers who committed suicide in Bergen County New Jersey in 1987. A book was written about that suicide event - "Teen Age Wasteland" by Donna Gaines, MSW, PfD, Stony Brook University.

One of the reasons these teens elected to take their lives was that they felt worthless. They lived in a town (Berganfield NJ, where athletes were glorified and permitted to get away with almost anything, and non athletes were considered to be trash and potential trouble makers.

The Bergenfield teens were not bullied either. They were ignored to death.

[Magritte25]

Originally Posted by fisheye

Here is a link to the Morning Call article: Luzerne County student suicides reach 4 - mcall.com. Supposedly they are all unrelated. But it seems like a very high number for just one county. I hope that this is not a trend, fad or related.

My condolences to the parents.

I don't know what to make of these suicides. It's very sad and it scares me. A 13 year old taking his own life is horrifying to me. I'm not sure what the answer is here. We do have a very old fashioned way of looking at life in this area and I wonder if the schism between that and modernity is to blame here. The girl who committed suicide in Pittston was particularly surprising because she seemed to have a happy life - loving family, friends, involved in school, involved with church, good grades etc. I know things can be different than they appear in public though. I hope the authorities are able to find out why these children killed themselves. I cannot imagine what their parents are going through right now.

[fisheye]

Sheena, Magritte,

From that Morning Call article: “Authorities say the suicides don't appear to be related to bullying despite hearsay claims to the contrary from students.” It does sound as if there will be an extensive investigation.

I worry if this is more economy and leaving our kids with the impression that things will never get better? The economy has strained family ties. Therefore there is more pressure on our young.

Right now it is only speculation and we do need more facts to really form an opinion. I just worry that this streak may not be over. The sooner that we find the real problems; the better that we can possibly save others.

This is an unimaginable tragedy for family and friends. I just hope that more do not have to go through their pain.

[SteelCityRising]

Considering two of those who tragically chose to end their own lives were from my hometown of Pittston this certainly hits close to home for me. I was suicidal a couple of years ago when I was living in Virginia, and I know how it feels when you think the world would be burdened less if you were no longer residing within it. I sought therapy, and I feel like I'm in a much better position today than I ever thought possible.

I do know that even in just the seven years since I graduated from Pittston Area the district has really ramped up its anti-bullying efforts. The dress code now is a very strict business casual to deter students from bullying one another based upon attire, and teachers have received extra training in regards to identifying students who may be bullied or who are bullying others. It wasn't easy for me to be the only openly-gay male in my high school class, but not only did MANY others in my class "come out" after we graduated, but I spoke to a few underclassmen who said they felt more comfortable being themselves after I came out. For as much as some on here might champion NEPA as being socially progressive it's still VERY regressive on certain fronts, including homophobia, and I hope efforts to specifically target bullying based upon sexual orientation have been strengthened in the region since I graduated.

My thoughts and prayers go out to the affected families and friends.

[theatergypsy]

I wish there was a way to make adolescents understand that it will get better. Being a teen-ager, despite what our parents told us "would be the best time of our lives" is a hateful time for most young people. Not knowing who you are or how you fit in, or even if you fit in, is painful. But to see a life come to such a tragic end before it even begins is sad beyond belief. I can't even find words.

My condolences to all touched by this sadness.

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by theatergypsy

I wish there was a way to make adolescents understand that it will get better.

Even though it was specifically designed as an attempt to curb a disturbing trend of gay and lesbian youths committing suicide after being aggressively bullied by their peers I still feel as if the "It Gets Better" YouTube campaign is something that can be more universally applied to ANY teen, regardless of their sexual orientation.

it gets better - YouTube

In these videos various people, many of whom are celebrities, express empathy for those who are being bullied and implore these distressed youths to just endure their pain for the time-being because a much more beautiful future awaits them all.

[sheena12]

There is also the intense focus on sports here in the valley, to the detriment of any other productive activity or talent.

My son has no interest in competitive sports involving a ball. None. And we do not care. He is not a disappointment to us is any way.

In places such as the afore mentioned Berganfield NJ and the Valley, HS sports are glorified to an extreme extent.

It's not only Gay kids who feel left out, but others as well.

Our son did not. Possibly, because he is very well liked and an easygoing, smart funny kid, with a plethora of talents and interests.

He went to Prom with a beautiful a and well liked girl, ( see my facebook if you are my friend) and he made many friends while at Holy Redeemer.

I'm not against sports. Former cheerleader and field hockey player here. I am agaist regions and schools that make everyone feel like a misfit is they are male and not a jock.

Holy Redeemer had opportunities in debate, set design and a coffee house for musically inclined students.
However the public schools seem to make celebrities out of their athletes.
It's one activity out of many. That's all.

[Magritte25]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

Considering two of those who tragically chose to end their own lives were from my hometown of Pittston this certainly hits close to home for me. I was suicidal a couple of years ago when I was living in Virginia, and I know how it feels when you think the world would be burdened less if you were no longer residing within it. I sought therapy, and I feel like I'm in a much better position today than I ever thought possible.

I do know that even in just the seven years since I graduated from Pittston Area the district has really ramped up its anti-bullying efforts. The dress code now is a very strict business casual to deter students from bullying one another based upon attire, and teachers have received extra training in regards to identifying students who may be bullied or who are bullying others. It wasn't easy for me to be the only openly-gay male in my high school class, but not only did MANY others in my class "come out" after we graduated, but I spoke to a few underclassmen who said they felt more comfortable being themselves after I came out. For as much as some on here might champion NEPA as being socially progressive it's still VERY regressive on certain fronts, including homophobia, and I hope efforts to specifically target bullying based upon sexual orientation have been strengthened in the region since I graduated.

My thoughts and prayers go out to the affected families and friends.

To be bluntly honest, I don't think dress codes do a damned thing to curb behavior. WBASD has had one for the last four years and from my experience (as well as in speaking to parents/students from other city schools) the bullying is out of control.

You can change a leopard's spots, but he's still a leopard. Until administrators get the cajones to open their eyes to the real issues of bullying in the schools, we are just going to get band aid treatment ala dress codes. These kids need a heckuva lot more than khakis and solid colored polos to change their tunes.

[fisheye]

Originally Posted by sheena12

There is also the intense focus on sports here in the valley, to the detriment of any other productive activity or talent.

My son has no interest in competitive sports involving a ball. None. And we do not care. He is not a disappointment to us is any way.

In places such as the afore mentioned Berganfield NJ and the Valley, HS sports are glorified to an extreme extent.

It's not only Gay kids who feel left out, but others as well.

Our son did not. Possibly, because he is very well liked and an easygoing, smart funny kid, with a plethora of talents and interests.

He went to Prom with a beautiful a and well liked girl, ( see my facebook if you are my friend) and he made many friends while at Holy Redeemer.

I'm not against sports. Former cheerleader and field hockey player here. I am agaist regions and schools that make everyone feel like a misfit is they are male and not a jock.

Holy Redeemer had opportunities in debate, set design and a coffee house for musically inclined students.
However the public schools seem to make celebrities out of their athletes.
It's one activity out of many. That's all.

With suicides there are many gray areas. How many times have we heard of a death where a young person was fooling around with oxygen starvation (suffocation). Some kids sniff glue, hair spray, gasoline or other dangerous products – is that suicide or just stupidity?

I cannot help but think that my 'baby boomer' generation grew up with the promise of a better life. We were going to have flying cars and astronauts to the stars. We also had job security – we did not have to worry about our job vanishing or moving to another country. I think that we have lost much of our optimism. More people have come to the realization that things will not get better – but the bad economy has not helped. Whatever we feel gets passed down to our children.

We also have the thought of instant gratification. Society has lost patience. Take the easy way out – don't wait. You can have an almost empty parking lot and somebody will still park in the fire lane or the handicapped parking space (even though they have no handicap).

Bullies or sports can also turn up the pressure. We will probably hear more on these suicides in the days to come. It is just very disturbing that so many young took their lives in such a short period of time.