Unfortunately, there are more students than we would like to see who, because of parental pressures, etc., DO attempt and/or succeed in committing suicide for what seem like trivial reasons to us. I don't think their families care what their reasoning was when they are burying their kids; they are devastated. So, these kinds of suicidal outcries should be taken seriously.

In our district (I think it is now statewide), we are required to educate students about the signs and symptoms of depression, the signs that someone may be contemplating harming themselves, and how to get the proper help. I've buried too many students over the years to take any talk of suicide lightly. We can't assume they are tossing it out there lightly and then regret it later.