Treat troubled students correctly

Re “Massacre has altered health views,” April 14

In a nation that emphasizes security over privacy, it makes sense that schools would follow suit. But for faculty, administrators and counselors to share sensitive information about students runs contrary to some of the most basic ideals of academia.

It must be remembered that at Virginia Tech, identifying shooter Seung-hui Cho as a threat and referring him to counseling was not the problem. The failure to follow through was. Before sending more students to counseling, schools should consider how best to care for the ones already receiving help.

Thomas Beigle

Villa Park