California Principal Commits Suicide In School
Tragedy has befallen a Southern California school as a middle school principal commits suicide on campus.
Tragedy has befallen a Southern California school. The community of Placentia is suffering the sudden tragic loss of an assistant principal. Yesterday, the assistant principal of Kraemer Middle School took his own life inside the school.
According to reports, Moises Plascencia fatally shot himself on the California schools’ campus Monday morning. Authorities told NBC News that they believe the incident happened early in the day before most staff and any students were on site. Additionally, police confirmed that no students witnessed the death. The incident took place in a locked staff bathroom in the school’s administration area near the front office.
Following the incident, the Southern California school was evacuated and classes were canceled for the remainder of the day. Kraemer Middle School principal, Michael Young, wrote an official statement regarding the administrator’s suicide in a letter on the school’s official website. The letter confirmed the suicide tragedy of the assistant principal.
Expressing the grievance and sorrow Young along with the staff and students at the California school felt following Monday’s incident, Young iterated how much Moises Plascencia cared for his students. Going on to notify parents and students that classes would resume tomorrow, the principal also discussed mental health outlets available to students and administrators in the aftermath of the grim events.
The Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District was making their team of mental health professionals available on the California schools’ campus for the remainder of the week. Additionally, the principal promised to stay in “regular communication” over the next few days ensuring parents and students are informed about “next steps”. While details surrounding Moises Plascencia’s death are still unknown, the suicide sheds light on a gloomful mental health prospect among educators in the county.
Nearly three years have passed since the COVID-19 pandemic rocked the world. While arguably every single person in the world felt some type of emotional well-being setbacks, industries like the education sector have felt the effects significantly. While educators like this California school assistant principal rose above the challenges teachers endure amid school closures and mask mandates, the push-back from lawmakers and angry parents hasn’t gone unnoticed.
Teacher morale and mental health issues are at alarming rates among educators in the United States. A study conducted by Rand Corp. last year documented job-related stress among teachers. According to their research, nearly one in four teachers said that they were likely to leave their jobs by the end of the school year. This number has increased, compared to data suggesting only one in six teachers considers an occupation change before the pandemic.
Compared to the general adult population, a much higher percentage of teachers reported frequent job-related stress and symptoms of depression. Other recent studies show a much darker outlook on teacher burnout. A similar study conducted by the CDC Foundation suggests that more than 60% of teachers surveyed said they enjoy their job less during the pandemic than they did before.
If anything, the heartbreaking death of the California school Assistant Principal Moises Plascencia serves as a reminder to those battling depression and suicidal thoughts to seek help. Similarly, if you know of someone that needs help, there are outlets. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255, text HOME to 741741, or visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional resources.
