Student suicides at Gunn High in Silicon Valley

http://www.kqed.org/a/forum/R201501290900

3 student suicides this academic year (one was a recent alum), and 9 since 2009. Most of the cases had some element of stress/pressure to meet very high academic expectations. I didn't hear the whole program, but an interesting comment from a former teacher said a peer counseling class and less stressful vocational courses (like wood shop) were recently eliminated to make room for more AP courses.

The school is considering modifying the class schedule and homework levels, but I think those are just band-aids. Failing to meet the sometime ludicrous and frankly perverse expectations/goals in that community is not an indication that the student is a failure at life and should die. I would hope that the rabid competition and obsession to achieve (or fit some template of what success looks like) do not overwhelm students and make them forget that there are other ways to feel happy and successful in this life. That message has to start with adults, who should encourage balance over excess and set healthy examples that Silicon Valley Values are not the only values in the world.