Plano Parents Question School-Related Stress After Recent Suicides
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PLANO (CBSDFW.COM) - Two recent suicides at Plano East Senior High School have some people questioning if the stresses of school and anxiety of adolescence are driving teenagers to take their own lives.
Teen suicide was the subject of a meeting Wednesday night among parents and students.
Sally and Vito Salvino have three children who went through Plano schools and said it was anything but easy for them.
"Unfortunately, our kids suffer depression off and on," said Sally Salvino.
The Plano couple attended a closed meeting at Plano East Senior High School for parents and students affected by the suicides of two 17-year-old girls earlier this month.
"One of our daughters has a friend who is an acquaintance more than an acquaintance of one of the girls who died," said Vito Salvino.
Questions about why the two young girls who took their lives remain unanswered.
One committed suicide inside her Murphy home the other at the nearby football stadium. Police said the teens knew each other and school officials said they were good students.
"We have a grieving student community right now that's searching for answers it's somewhat disoriented," said George King, Plano East Sr. High Principal.
Plano East's principal had 20 grief counselors on campus last week; some of whom were part of the meeting's panel. They warned that suicide impulse can be contagious especially among children.
"There's always a risk of children imitating a behavior and think that might be a solution for me as well," said Vinita Halliburton, President of the Grant Halliburton Foundation.
But the Salvino's worry that Plano students are under too much pressure.
"This is a very high stress environment. The school you know, has very high standards and I think the parents in general have high standards too and its difficult for kids to live up to that," said Salvino.
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