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Suicide in Middle Level Schools: Implications for Principals

Conrad F. Toepfer, JR NASSP Bulletin 1986 70: 55 DOI: 10.1177/019263658607048713 The online version of this article can be found at: http://bul.sagepub.com/content/70/487/55

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Suicide in Middle Level Schools: Implications for

Principals
Prevention of teenage suicide and dealing with that tragedy when it occurs is an increasing concern for middle level principals. This article focuses on specific implications of the youth suicide problem for middle level school principals with considerations for other principals as well.
BY CONRAD F. TOEPFER, JR.

MIDDLE

LEVEL education has a sound informational base on the physical, social, emotional, and intellectual uniqueness of

developed

transescent

youngsters.

Middle level principals need to study such information and help staff, parents, and other lay persons empathically understand these realities. It is essential to clarify what educators, parents, and other adults must provide to facilitate a youngsters successful journey through his or her middle level school years. Dont Overlook Affective Needs The appearance of A Nation at Risk in April 1983 set the mood of the nation to

CONRAD F. TOEPFER, JR. is professor, State University of New York, Buffalo.

&dquo;get tough and shape up education.&dquo; This mood has produced a set of national reports that focus upon &dquo;excellence in education&dquo; with regard to intellectual growth and academic achievement alone. The infatuation to improve performance in these areas overlooks the need to address equally the critical affective, self-concept, and self-esteem needs of youth. The literature of the national reports has lost contact with concern for the wholeness of the developmental needs of children, middle level school transescents, and adolescents. These emphases are almost categorically absent in the literature which has mushroomed since the appearance of A Nation at Risk. Should not &dquo;excellence&dquo; deal with these fundamental concerns in human development as well?

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55

56
To what degree are these decisions being based upon careful consideration of the degree to which middle level students can deal with the stress of more demands and accelerated changes in their young lives? We cannot legislate a reversal of the erosion of family and adult support for children. No laws can reverse the decline in the stability of
schools in planning efforts to move toward excellence, not only in academic issues but in their response to the broad and specific needs of transescents.

Middle Level Issues

The excellence reports of 1983 and 1984 focused on secondary education issues with virtually no consideration of middle level concerns. The dangers for the middle level school were soon realized as the lay public and state legislatures began to extend the recommendations beyond the venue of the high school and into the middle level.

marriage.
We can, however, make certain that in the simplistic zest to improve school achievement by merely increasing the difficulty of learning activities, we do not overchallenge large numbers of children prematurely and drive them into frustration, depression, and trag-

edy.
The appearance of An Agenda for Excellence at the Middle Level in October 1985 provided a base for defining excellence needs at the middle level. It is the first national report to deal with concerns for excellence specific to middle level education based upon the actual educational needs of transescents.

Public and legislative zeal to accelerate high school programs and goals into the middle level has mistakenly assumed that &dquo;earlier is better.&dquo;
This has continued because of the lack of awareness of unique middle level educational concerns designed to deal with transescence issues. Public and legislative zeal to accelerate high school programs and goals into the middle level has mistakenly assumed that &dquo;earlier is better.&dquo; What might be the consequences of our continuing failure to define &dquo;excellence&dquo; in responding to the holistic de-

general

We cannot legislate a reversal of the erosion of family and adult support for children. No laws can reverse the decline in

the
They

stability of marriage.

are: core values, culture and climate, student development, curriculum, learning and instruction, school organi-

velopment youngsters experience during their transescent years? We know that

ones adolescent-adult value frame is largely set in the experiences of ages 10 to 14. Yet, if a youngster does not survive that epoch in her or his lifepsychologically and emotionally whole,

zation, technology, teachers, transition, principals, connections, and client centeredness. This report offers suggestions in these areas that will assist middle level

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57
and alive-does that students academic

this, it is essential that

accurate

report-

performance really matter at all? State legislatures continue to pass changes in educational regulations which will bring learning challenges formerly required of high school adolescents down into the middle level school grades.

ing of suicides be made if we are to fully document the true scope of the youth
suicide
are inMiddle level students may turn to these substances as an escape or an attempt to find a substitute for a critical void in the human support and interaction needs in their lives. A suicide where drugs or alcohol were involved may only mean that individual found no solution to her or his problems in those substances, and that the youngster could find no other way to deal with those problems before the decision to end life. Drugs, alcohol, and eating disorders can cause atypical reactions to problems and might lead to potential suicidal behavior. Anorexia and bulimia very often develop during a youngsters middle level school years. It would seem that some youngsters may fear leaving the known security of childhood and seek to stop the pubescent transition by malnourishing their bodies. When such symptoms appear, a psychiatric examination is essential to assess both the medical and psychological issues of the behavior.

problem. Drugs and other substances volved in many youth suicides.

The Realities of Youth Suicide

suicide are only be clarified. We have to look at that increase as it relates to suicide among older adolescents and young adults. The percentage of reported suicides in the United States per 100,000 persons in the age 15 to 24 year range have increased as follows: 1960-5.2 percent; 1970-8.8 percent; 198012.3 percentI Suicide in the age 10 to 14 year range increased by 33 percent between 1968 and 1976.2 Data currently being gathered from the 1976-1982 period indicate that the increase during this period may be as great as 41 percent. In many states, a death does not have to be reported as a suicide unless a note has been left. If no suicide note is left, these fatalities can be reported as accidental deaths. Medical doctors indicate that a decision to report an actual suicide as an accidental death may be an effort to help the family survive the tragedy. Many suicidologists estimate that the increase in actual suicides may be considerably higher because of the way the statistics are gathered and categorized. Despite
on

Data

transescent

beginning

to

Problems in Pubescence
Another

potential problem

is the

slow, continued lowering of the chronage at which pubescence ocThe earlier physical maturation of todays middle level students has not been parallelled by similar social and emotional maturation. Indeed, the emotional and social maturity levels of todays middle level students have not appreciably changed from those of students 10 years ago. When adults are

ological
curs.

1. Source: Nassau

County

Mental Health Associ-

ation, Hempstead, N.Y., November 1984.

2. Source: Michael Peck. "Youth Suicide." Death Education Journal, 1982.

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58
struck

by

the

physically

more mature

appearance of many transescents today, they should not assume that youngster also has an equally precocious social and emotional maturity. In fact, the adjustment problems of

needs to involve local psychiatrists, physicians, psychologists, social workers, and mental health agency personnel
as well as school board members, district curriculum planning groups, and parent and parent-teacher organizations. The principal must also develop ways to provide specific support activities for teachers and students. These will include : planning curriculum considerations of this issue; developing means to identify students with potential prob-

physically precocious transescents may signal a need for special understanding and help by adults. Adolescents and adults may mistakenly assume that these &dquo;bigger&dquo; individuals are ready for physical, social, emotional, and intellectual situations that are appropriate
for older adolescents.

lems ; developing means to communicate, work with, and support affected

families; and getting these students

to

Drugs, alcohol, and eating disorders can cause atypical reactions to problems and might lead to potential suicidal behavior.
In assuming a maturity and readiness belied by their physical precocity and thin veneer of their sophistication from media, music, pop culture, and the like, we may unfortunately be casting them adrift from the adult interaction, support, and guidance they actually need. Middle level students need more, rather than less, positive interaction with adults at this time in their lives.

appropriate sources of help as soon as possible. The principal must develop a plan for identifying students who display combinations of the following behaviors for any prolonged period of time. Suicide Danger Signals . Losing interest in school and/or re~

lated activities. Withdrawal or isolation.

pulling

away; self-

Threats,

etc.

Signs

of

depression (crying,

in-

somnia, etc.).
.

. ~ .

Principals Responsibilities As principals increase their understanding of the suicide problem they can provide leadership in raising local awareness of the issue. Identifying the scope of the youth suicide problem in the school-community setting is essential. The development of information networking and crisis management plans can be helpful. This networking

The

~
~

~ ~ .

Feelings of rejection, disappointment, insecurity. Sense of personal failure. Slumping grades in school. Changes in habits or lifestyle (lack of sleep, diet, etc.). Separating with friends or possessions (premature wills). Preoccupation with death or dying. Feelings of guilt. Radical changes and/or increases in mood swings. Feelings of insecurity or inadequacy.
Violent
or

rebellious behavior.

Running

away.

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59
.

Unusual
ance.

neglect

of

personal

appear-

probably

not

preventable. However,

indicators of middle level students will manifest various of these behaviors during the normal process of coping and adjustment to problems of growing up. However, continued appearance of a number of these behaviors at any one time requires attention.

foregoing are only possible problems. Some

The

continued failure to pursue the problem will only contribute to further increases in the incidence of transescent suicide. May we be equal to the task!

References
Arth, A.; Johnston, J.; Lounsbury, J.; and
C. Jr. An Agenda for Excellence the Middle Level. Reston, Va.: National Association of Secondary School Principals, 1985. Brody, J. "Detecting the Signs and Preventing Teenage Suicide." New York Times, March 7, 1984. Bruch, H. Eating Disorders. New York: Basic Books, Inc., 1979. Bruch, H. The Golden Cage: The Enigma of Anorexia Nervosa. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1978. DelBello, A. "Needed: A United States Commission on Teen-Age Suicide." New York Times, September 12, 1984. Dietz, J. "Dealing with Teen Suicides." The Boston Globe, November 12, 1984. Halton, C.; Valente, S.; and Rink, A. Suicide Assessment and Intervention. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts, 1977. Langone, J. "Too Weary To Go On." In Human Development 84/85, edited by H. Fitzgerald and M. Walraven. Guilford, Conn.: The Dushkin Publishing Co., 1984. Mauceri, P. "The Youth Suicide Epidemic." Dissemination Services on the Middle Grades. February 1985. On the Threshold of Adolescence: A Statement on Schools in the Middle and the Students They Serve. Reston, Va.: National Association of Secondary School Principals, 1983. Peck, M. "Youth Suicide." Death Education Journal, 6 (1982): 29-47. Smith, R., and Mauceri, P. "Suicide—The Ultimate Middle School Trauma." The Middle School Journal, November 1982.

Toepfer,
at

principals increase their understanding of the suicide problem they can provide leadership in raising local
As
awareness

of the issue.
aware

As you become

of such

a stu-

dent, involve your school counselor,

psychiatrist, psychologist, the family physician, or community health agency personnel. It is best to identify the
source of these behaviors and deal with them as early as possible. Your courage in taking this step may alleviate a problem before it becomes tragic.

A Final Note This is probably a new and uncomfortable area of consideration for many principals. Clearly, no other area is in greater need of administrative leadership and involvement. The increase in potentially suicidal problems in the lives of middle level students cannot be underestimated. The principal must provide leadership in developing means to identify the actual scope of this problem, and approaches for responding to it. Unfortunately, all youth suicides are

Resources
"Suicide and How to Prevent It." Prepared by the American Association of Suicidology in Cooperation with Merck, Sharp, &

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60
Dohme. Health Information Services, Merck, Sharp, & Dohme, West Point, Pa., 19486. 1977. "Suicide Prevention in The Classroom: A Curriculum Guide." Health Information Services, Merck, Sharp, & Dohme., West Point, Pa., 19486. $9.00 for 25 copies, 11 pages. "Suicide in Young People and What You Can Do About It—A Guide for School Personnel." Health Information Services, Merck, Sharp, & Dohme, West Point, Pa., 19486. $.25. "Suicide in Young People and What You Can Do About It—A Guide for Students." Health Information Services, Merck, Sharp, & Dohme, West Point, Pa., 19486. $.30. "To Save Our Schools—To Save Our Children." Transcripts are available for $5 from Journal Graphics, ABC Television, P.O. Box 770, Ansonia Station, New York, N.Y. 10023.

February

Red-Letter Days

Some notable days celebrated across the nation this month are: Feb. I-National Freedom Day to commemorate the signing of the Thirteenth Amendment abolishing slavery Feb. 2-Groundhog Day Feb. I I-National Inventors Day; birthday of Thomas Edison Feb. 12-Lincolns Birthday Feb. 14-Valentines Day; Admission Day in Oregon Feb. 15-Susan B. Anthony Day Feb. 22-Washingtons Birthday

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