Recent suicides at Langley HS?

[Anonymous]

you guys all are so mean, you shouldnt be talking about the death of somone inline and you guys got the whole story wrong anyway, one boy ran away after dropping out of school and flipped his truck and died, the other did kill himself through drugs, i am a langley student you guys need to respect the loss of our friends!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I knew the boys, especially one of them. He was a fabulous friendly kid. School bulllying was NOT his main problem. He was not a good fit at Langley. As the information gets revealed, I ask that we stay very respectful with comments and not speculate please. I cannot imagine the pain the families are in. My heart goes out to the entire community. My son was good friends with the boys.

My daughter and Langley did not get along either. Very hard, that mismatch. God Bless

What does that mean? I am very interested in eventually moving to a Langley pyramid neighborhood.

[Anonymous]

langley is a great school, we show pride in everything that we do at our school, im not sure exactly what not a great fit meant but everyone at our school never should be felt like theyre bullied.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How is ignoring the issue/avoiding a discussion about teen suicide kind? Pretending that affluent communities with top SAT scores somehow makes these teens shielded from having to face challenges doesn't seem to be working.

Amazing. Teens in less affluent communities who go to Falls Church, Hayfield and other schools reach out and offer words of support to the Langley community, while some of the adults resort to the usual schaudenfraude. You're disgusting.

Calling it "schaudenfraude" (that's misspelled, by the way) is dishonest. There is no pleasure in knowing a teen who should be able to get help from his school community or family feeling like there is no point to living. That is sad. Skip the sanctimonious attack on those who are willing to discuss the problem.

You have the lock on sanctimony for the moment. Your "willingness" to discuss a problem is clearly opportunistic. Let this community grieve before you try to exploit it for personal advantage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dear God, Langley kids (or maybe 15:18 and 15:13 are the same person), PLEASE use punctuation and the Shift key if you're going to post here. It will improve your point--trust me.

Very sorry for your losses, of course. Hope you all find peace.

Langley kids, Act like you are talking to your grandma. You know when you have to talk extra loud and very, very slow.

You must BOLD and use italics when making a point otherwise bored housewives don't get your point.

And for god's sake re-read your posts, if you use their, instead of there grandma may need to read it over and over again before she understand your point. This delays her ability to judge those that leave 8 year olds in a car.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a Langley senior who knew those boys (one boy was a friend). I'd be outraged, but surely expected pure DCUM speculation on the reasons for their deaths. All I can say is when I talked with the 10 crying girls at my house last night: none of the kids or their social media is suggesting that bullying is what led to the deaths of those boys.

+1
I also have a Langley senior who said there is no indication of bullying in either case. People should really stop putting these things out there on DCUM, especially if they have no idea of the details.

Frankly I don't think speculation on DCUM forum is damaging to anyone anywhere. It's a public Internet board not a court of law or a medical facility.

Right, not damaging to the families of these two boys. Not at all. You sound like a real jackass with zero empathy.

Why in the world would a family who just lost a child head for DCUM? Maybe it's your social/news source, but not for others. Sheesh. Calm down.

My family recently lost a loved one tragically and any number of people were only too happy to share verbally what was being posted on social media. If you're not kind on the Internet, you're not kind period.

Well then WELCOME TO THE REAL (E)WORLD where people just aren't nice!

And the people who "were only to happy" to share what was being posted on social media seem to be the problem--not the actual words that were typed anonymously.

I'm a NP to this thread with no dog in this fight. However, I do become annoyed at all the sanctimonious "don't spread rumors or gossip" which is largely what message boards do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How is ignoring the issue/avoiding a discussion about teen suicide kind? Pretending that affluent communities with top SAT scores somehow makes these teens shielded from having to face challenges doesn't seem to be working.

Amazing. Teens in less affluent communities who go to Falls Church, Hayfield and other schools reach out and offer words of support to the Langley community, while some of the adults resort to the usual schaudenfraude. You're disgusting.

Calling it "schaudenfraude" (that's misspelled, by the way) is dishonest. There is no pleasure in knowing a teen who should be able to get help from his school community or family feeling like there is no point to living. That is sad. Skip the sanctimonious attack on those who are willing to discuss the problem.

You have the lock on sanctimony for the moment. Your "willingness" to discuss a problem is clearly opportunistic. Let this community grieve before you try to exploit it for personal advantage.

Why would the community grieve on a message board????

People go to message boards to share opinions. Like, what gives? This is not a memorial or church service.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How is ignoring the issue/avoiding a discussion about teen suicide kind? Pretending that affluent communities with top SAT scores somehow makes these teens shielded from having to face challenges doesn't seem to be working.

Amazing. Teens in less affluent communities who go to Falls Church, Hayfield and other schools reach out and offer words of support to the Langley community, while some of the adults resort to the usual schaudenfraude. You're disgusting.

Calling it "schaudenfraude" (that's misspelled, by the way) is dishonest. There is no pleasure in knowing a teen who should be able to get help from his school community or family feeling like there is no point to living. That is sad. Skip the sanctimonious attack on those who are willing to discuss the problem.

You have the lock on sanctimony for the moment. Your "willingness" to discuss a problem is clearly opportunistic. Let this community grieve before you try to exploit it for personal advantage.

Your attitude is exactly why Langley HS has a serious problem with their school climate. Arrogance and a lack of self-examination make many of those parents some of the most toxic ones I've encountered. Genuinely kind, thoughtful people can have a really tough time in northern Virginia--especially at Langley High School.

[Anonymous]

This note was sent out by the principal after the first death. Would not he have been more forthcoming and led to the prevention of the second death???

Dear Langley High School Families:

Langley High School and Fairfax County Public School's Office of Safety & Security were made aware that a Langley student died unexpectedly yesterday. In respect to the family's wishes, Langley High School will not communicate any additional information about this incident.

Langley's Crisis Response Team will be available to meet with any students and staff who need support in dealing with this news. We are taking every step we can to be responsive to the needs of our students and their families. Please keep us informed if there are ways we can support you. 703-287-2700 is our main office number.

Our most sincere condolences have gone out to the family. Our thoughts remain with them during this difficult time.

Sincerely,

Matt Ragone
Principal

[Anonymous]

Briefly, yes there were two suicides this week in McLean. They are unrelated. On Monday - a senior boy who had dropped out of LHS earlier in the year shot himself at Difficult Run. Another boy, also a senior at LHS, was apparently found unconscious by his family and he later died at the hospital. Both students, I understand, were well-liked. They had issues unrelated to academic pressures. The LHS community is terribly saddened and the principal has requested people refrain from spreading rumor and innuendo out of respect for their families. These boys were young men and were deeply loved by friends and family. Posters, please remember that before posting cruel and unhelpful comments.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:langley is a great school, we show pride in everything that we do at our school, im not sure exactly what not a great fit meant but everyone at our school never should be felt like theyre bullied.

I can talk to the "not a great fit" My son left Langley half way through Junior year. He was not an "A" student although incredibly smart. The pressure at Langley and lack of compassion and support for the students that were not elite at something was heart-wrenching. I watched him spiral downwards. At least 90% of the kids are doing some type of drug (according to my son). It was part of the culture, and really hard to escape. We had moved to the Langley district to go to "The Best school" and I am sure to some it is. Many kids succeed at Langley. In the case of my son, and probably also Timmy, the fit, the environment, the expectations, the pressure was just not a match. There was a mass exodus that year since the boys were getting deeper into drugs. They had a very difficult time digging a path for themselves out of that environment. Within 3 months 9 out of a group of like 20 had left. Some to rehab, others to private schools and others to other public schools. My son went to another public school not in the Langley area. He is getting very good grades, loving life, and realizes that he does not have to go to NOVA due to his Langley experience. He's on track finally to be able to go to the college of his choice because he was able to work hard with the support he needed in a different environment. We talk openly about drugs, and the school he is in has about 20% of the problem that Langley has. It is NOT in the culture of the school like it is at Langley.
I am sure NOT all the kids at Langley are involved in drugs, and I am not attempting to say that it is not a good school. I am just saying it is a REAL problem that needs to be faced and addressed. The teachers and admin turn the other cheek. We tried to talk to them to no avail. They feel their hands are tied.
Some kids thrive at Langley and many do not. It is a good fit for some and not others, just like anything else. I can tell you for a fact that if I had not pulled my son out when I did, he may have gone down hill and most likely be facing very few college options. He told me last night that he was very similar to Timmy, similar issues. Deep philosophical thinkers in a harsh world, and he feels very lucky to have found his path. He's heart broken that Timmy did not. We are sending love to both kids families and hope that we can all show compassion and kindness on this site and everywhere. Let's only say what we would want other people to say if we were in that situation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a Langley senior who knew those boys (one boy was a friend). I'd be outraged, but surely expected pure DCUM speculation on the reasons for their deaths. All I can say is when I talked with the 10 crying girls at my house last night: none of the kids or their social media is suggesting that bullying is what led to the deaths of those boys.

+1
I also have a Langley senior who said there is no indication of bullying in either case. People should really stop putting these things out there on DCUM, especially if they have no idea of the details.

Frankly I don't think speculation on DCUM forum is damaging to anyone anywhere. It's a public Internet board not a court of law or a medical facility.

Right, not damaging to the families of these two boys. Not at all. You sound like a real jackass with zero empathy.

Why in the world would a family who just lost a child head for DCUM? Maybe it's your social/news source, but not for others. Sheesh. Calm down.

Are you so boneheaded that multiple posters have to explain this to you over and over? Whether or not the families are on DCUM or their loved ones and friends, the fact is that posting innuendo and speculation is very hurtful to those who might have known these boys. How can you possibly not see this? I really hope you're not ever in such a tragic situation, where your relatives and friends are reading lies about your loved one online, and forming untrue opinions based on some dumb poster who was "speculating". You clearly lack the empathy gene.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:langley is a great school, we show pride in everything that we do at our school, im not sure exactly what not a great fit meant but everyone at our school never should be felt like theyre bullied.

I can talk to the "not a great fit" My son left Langley half way through Junior year. He was not an "A" student although incredibly smart. The pressure at Langley and lack of compassion and support for the students that were not elite at something was heart-wrenching. I watched him spiral downwards. At least 90% of the kids are doing some type of drug (according to my son). It was part of the culture, and really hard to escape. We had moved to the Langley district to go to "The Best school" and I am sure to some it is. Many kids succeed at Langley. In the case of my son, and probably also Timmy, the fit, the environment, the expectations, the pressure was just not a match. There was a mass exodus that year since the boys were getting deeper into drugs. They had a very difficult time digging a path for themselves out of that environment. Within 3 months 9 out of a group of like 20 had left. Some to rehab, others to private schools and others to other public schools. My son went to another public school not in the Langley area. He is getting very good grades, loving life, and realizes that he does not have to go to NOVA due to his Langley experience. He's on track finally to be able to go to the college of his choice because he was able to work hard with the support he needed in a different environment. We talk openly about drugs, and the school he is in has about 20% of the problem that Langley has. It is NOT in the culture of the school like it is at Langley.
I am sure NOT all the kids at Langley are involved in drugs, and I am not attempting to say that it is not a good school. I am just saying it is a REAL problem that needs to be faced and addressed. The teachers and admin turn the other cheek. We tried to talk to them to no avail. They feel their hands are tied.
Some kids thrive at Langley and many do not. It is a good fit for some and not others, just like anything else. I can tell you for a fact that if I had not pulled my son out when I did, he may have gone down hill and most likely be facing very few college options. He told me last night that he was very similar to Timmy, similar issues. Deep philosophical thinkers in a harsh world, and he feels very lucky to have found his path. He's heart broken that Timmy did not. We are sending love to both kids families and hope that we can all show compassion and kindness on this site and everywhere. Let's only say what we would want other people to say if we were in that situation.

What an incredibly irresponsible thing to say. My son is a current student at Langley and no way are "90%" of the kids on drugs. I am stunned that you actually believe this, and coming from a teen, too. Maybe it seemed to him that a lot of his friends were taking drugs, but it sounds like he was in the wrong group to begin with. There are a ton of different kinds of kids at Langley, and most of them would never do drugs because they are smart enough to know drugs can ruin lives. Every high school has a culture of drugs and drinking, to some extent; Langley is no different but certainly no worse than other high schools (public and private) in this area. Those of you who love to use Langley as the scapegoat for this area's problems are pathetic. Take a look at your own high schools and communities before casting the first stone.

[Anonymous]

I am an LHS father. LHS Students, I support and believe you 110percent. I have observed institutionally supported behavior that definitely is a form of harassment or bullying. Each student should be pat on the back and honored for their courage surviving LHS. Unless you are the chosen few, the institution and many parents do all they can to ostracize and crush you. Remember THIS TOO SHALL PASS. And no one can take your spirit !! God bless the LHS Students!!!

[Anonymous]

What a pressure cooker. Chickens have come home to roost.