The students are back and classes are going full-tilt. The first week is always exhausting, so I am so glad it's the weekend.
One of the faculty members in our department had an interesting, albeit frightening, experience this week. One of the students in her class was exhibiting some challenging behaviors in class - speaking out of turn, sleeping in class after she threatened to put him out for sleeping, questioning her seriousness in front of the class. It was obvious to her that he had some problems, but when talking with him one on one after class, he revealed that he is "mentally disturbed" and had attempted suicide several times in the past. He wanted her to call his parents. Long story short, she talked with our counseling office and student affairs and learned that there had already been problems in the residence hall (after only a week)...he was already on their radars. Turns out today that he made a bomb threat last night and is now hospitalized and will not be returning to school, at least not here.
Thinking back over the last few years' tragedies at colleges and universities around the nation, I am thankful that the instructor was aware, not merely chalking his behavior up to some wise-butt freshman.
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