I was deeply saddened by the on-campus suicide of 14-year old Jeremiah Lasater. My sadness quickly turned to anger when I read about the emotional torture this child endured in front of everybody on the campus of Vasquez High School. Shame on the school board officials, teachers, parents and yes, the students at Vasquez High who either created or acquiesced to the environment at school that Jeremiah had to endure.

I’m sure there will be plenty of grief counselors on campus to discuss this with the “shocked” students. What are they going to tell them?  “There was nothing you could have done.” “It wasn’t your fault.” This may sound politically incorrect, overly harsh or insensitive, but there is a little bit, and in some cases, a lot of blood on the hands of many in the school district.

To the parents of Jeremiah, I am ashamed how we as a community failed your son. What a disgrace.