Elite School Says Actions 'Tragically Short' After Student's Suicide
The Facts
Lawrenceville School — an elite boarding school in New Jersey — has issued an apology over the death of 17-year-old Jack Reid. The student committed suicide after enduring a year of bullying, which included allegations he was a rapist.
Rumors were reportedly fabricated by peers and then said to Reid in person and shared anonymously online. Lawrenceville has said that "more should have been done" about the targeted attacks, which led Reid to take his own life last year.
The Spin
Narrative A
The mental health of young people is in crisis across the world, especially at a time when adolescents are exposed to social media and spending more time online than ever before, making them more vulnerable targets of bullying and harassment. Disturbingly high proportions of teens are at risk of self-harm and are experiencing suicidal thoughts — more must be done by schools like Lawrenceville to protect potential victims and introduce new safeguarding.
Narrative B
There is certainly an identifiable correlation between the painful experience of bullying and suicide risk, notably in young people. Studies suggest that bullies, along with their victims, are also more likely to think about and attempt suicide than peers not involved in bullying. If we are to improve risk identification, this nuance must play more of a role in the cultural narrative surrounding bullying. The complexities of these tragedies have been challenging for all institutions — not just Lawrenceville — to grasp.
