ABSTRACT

Suicide is the third leading cause of death for 15 to 24-year-olds, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), after accidents and homicide. Suicide among young people is preventable it just requires recognition and resources. Most schools have a written protocol for dealing with students who show signs of suicidal behavior. Unfortunately, many educators do not know the signs that indicate a potential suicide nor have they been trained in how to address the problem. Like many of the other social ills that schools are forced to deal with, suicide is something that schools must be proactive about. There is a great deal of harassment of those who are perceived to be different. No group has been more harassed than those who have a real or perceived non-heterosexual orientation. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth are subjected to slurs at school and sometimes assaulted.