Local News
Conflict Ensues Over Memorial Yearbook Page for Teen Who Died by Suicide
At 17-years-old, Hannah Hollis was near graduation and induction into Texas A&M, but tragically, the teen died by suicide last week. Students at Pearland High School wanted to include a memorial for Hannah in their yearbook, but the news reports that they were told no by school officials.
Hannah’s sister, Holleigh, told Click2Houston, “This administration tells us that they won’t make this page because they think that if children see it, then it will urge them to do the same thing, and I completely disagree with that.”
Hannah’s sisters say that they’ve had their hard times, including navigating the death of their mother a few years ago, but Hannah loved to make people smile and was a caring, intelligent person.
A petition was started on Change.org by Ericka Chang-Kalandros that urged school officials to make the choice to include the memorial page. “Not only will this page allow her friends and family to see that we are united as a student body behind them through these difficult times, it will also bring awareness to those who suffer in silence as Hannah did,” the petition reads.
Very recently, Charles Gooden, Jr. of the Pearland ISD School Board posted on Facebook that there must of been some sort of misunderstanding. He says that students were told to wait and see how the family feels, though obviously, the family seems to feel strongly about including the page. “Many have spoken of ‘removing the stigma’ and addressing the issue of suicide head on. I agree with that approach,” he said, adding that they will be allowed to have the page.
