An Ohio high school student reportedly committed suicide after being ‘verbally assaulted’ by his school administrators and a police officer for smelling like marijuana, according to an open letter which is gaining traction online. Hit the jump to see details.
Hank Sigel, student at Geneva High School in Geneva, Ohio, has decided to take action and is calling for his school’s administrators and the officer in question to step down after a ‘life changing catastrophe’ resulted in his friend, Hayden Long, taking his own life, he said.
In the letter, Hank describes how he and Hayden – along with four other honour students – were accused of smelling like the drug at the school’s homecoming celebrations.
After a two-week suspension, elimination from all sports, and a loss of his driver’s licence, the student also claims how he was exposed to things he would ‘never want to see again’, including being questioned without his parents, having his keys forcibly taken from him and having his car searched.
When he tried to stand up for himself at the police station, Hank claims he was told: “It’s cute you think you know your rights.”
Describing how Hayden was ‘verbally attacked’ by the men, Hank adds:
He was directly told that he had ruined his life by his school administrators. The students were told they would fail their classes, had ruined their academic careers, and make the biggest mistake of their life.
An online petition on Change.org has been attracting attention also calling for the school’s staff and police officer to resign from their posts.
Nearing 5,000 signatures, it states: “…tell all your friends and family because this CAN happen to another student if the same morons who have the position for principal belittle a student to the point that they believe suicide is the only way.”
Read the student’s open letter in the gallery.
