Downingtown school community seeks solutions after recent suicides

Thursday, January 10, 2019
DOWNINGTOWN, Pa. (WPVI) -- Classmates and parents are coming together to demand change after four current or former students from Downingtown East High School died of suicide in less than a year.

The most recent suicide was just this week.
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In reaction to these tragedies, a petition was recently started with a former student and parent Bill Bullotta.

The goal is to bring change within the school district and rally the community as a whole to combat the issue.

"It's a crisis. So the wonderful things that they're doing, we're just going to have to do more of them faster," said Bullotta.

SUICIDE PREVENTION INFORMATION: Get Help Here



At the district school board meeting on Wednesday night, Bullotta said dozens of families came to support the cause.



"Because our kids are in school care quite a bit of time, we were just trying to figure out how we can all come together," he said.
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On Thursday, district superintendent Dr. Emilie Lonardi said they're listening.

"We've set up two meetings: one is to hear from an expert group of panelists in the area of suicide prevention and mental health. We're going to ask a lot of questions. It'll be an open community meeting," she said.

The second meeting will be to come up with a concrete plan of action.



"We'll move forward with a task for to really try and improve, tweak, add, delete and really make a difference for our students," said Lonardi.

She also adds she's starting to see a community response that will surely lead to progress.

"So far, just in the last couple of days, I've gotten many e-mails with parent ideas and from professionals who work in mental health saying 'what can I do?'" said Lonardi.
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There is an open community meeting to address the issue of suicide in the community on Thursday, January 17 at 7 p.m.

All are welcome to attended.

SUICIDE PREVENTION INFORMATION: Get Help Here



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