School Suicide and Bullying

Students at the Adel Disoto Minburn High School (ADM) have been facing a hard time with the recent suicide of a student.

ADM student Caelan Peterson committed suicide at a busy intersection in Adel on Feb. 8, due to constant bullying from his peers. Feb. 10 at 7:00 pm at the courthouse square and Feb. 11 at 7:30 pm in Evans Park, the Adel local community had two vigils for Peterson, along with students writing on whiteboards for him. Peterson’s close friends have said that Caelen was the sweetest, most thoughtful and most genuine person they could think of. The second he walked into a room with a smile on his face the room lit up and his laugh was contagious to others around. 

Peyton Livingston, a freshman at ADM High School, has dealt with bullying herself. She has been going to the ADM school district since she was in kindergarten and she has been dealing with bullying since middle school.

Livingston said, “At one point in this life, we all have to recognize that grief is love that doesn’t know where to go or how to escape… Be kind. Remember you matter. You’re the reason someone’s still here so stay a bit longer for everyone and do what’s best for you.”

Students at ADM have had similar words towards Peterson’s decision, that it is heart-shattering, grieving and a loss of words. Some parents want the teachers and students to get consequences for their actions. Many students are agreeing with the parents and feel that the ADM school district has failed to stop bullying and harassment. On countless occasions, there have been social media posts, videos, text messages and accounts made about ADM rumors.

Bullying-related suicides in the US have drawn attention to the connection between bullying and suicide. Many adults or parents say bullying is a part of growing up and it happens to everyone. But it is a serious issue because teenagers all around the world are committing suicide because of bullying. Suicide has become the third leading cause of death among youth, with about 4,400 deaths per year. For every suicide, there are about 100 suicide attempts. Over 14 percent of high school students have considered suicide and almost 7 percent have attempted it. Some schools or regions have more serious problems with bullying and suicide related to bullying. It could also be related to the tendency of students who are exposed to suicide to consider suicide themselves.

“Bully-related suicide can be connected to any type of bullying, including physical bullying, emotional bullying, cyberbullying, and sexting, or circulating suggestive or nude photos or messages about a person,” Bullyingstatistics.org stated.

Northwest has two licensed on-site mental health therapists that meet with students. There is no limit on the number of sessions students can have with them. There is also a mental health staff member from the Student Assistance Program that is here one day per week that is available for more short-term counseling for students who may be experiencing a setback but may not need long-term support.

Northwest counselor Alizabeth Streit explained, “We are trained to support students who may be struggling with their mental health.  We can offer coping strategies and may refer them to outside services if needed.”

It is recommended that families get their students evaluated by mental health professionals. The medical staff will then offer their recommendations for the family, which may include in-patient hospitalization, therapy, medication, outpatient therapy, group talk therapy, etc. 

If you or anyone you know is feeling suicidal or struggling with a mental illness, reach out and seek help. The suicide hotline number is 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.