Can my friend be kicked out for this?

[Glamorgan]

Okay, this is actually my friend, not just some person I've made up, as to remain anonymous.

Anyway. So this friend of mine, (Let's call her JenniferFirst name I could think of) is extremely depressed, to the point of anorexia and self harm. To make a long story short, the high school we both attend found out about this, and has sent her to the school psychologist.

Except the school psychologist isn't helping her. All she has done is threaten Jennifer with expulsion if she continues to starve herself, or cut herself. Not a single word of help. Just threats.

I'm honestly really concerned about this. Jennifer is terrified of expulsion, and while she has stopped her self destructive behaviours, she hasn't stopped thinking these thoughts. She's still borderline suicidal, and getting worse thanks to this threat hanging over her.

So I need to know. Can she actually be kicked out? We both live in Western Australia, and attend a Public school.

EDIT: I probably should have mentioned that she was seeing a pysch beforehand, of her own free will. She wants help, but is simply beimg terrified by the psych. Can we simply assume that Jennifer is telling the truth here, and base our answers on that?

 

[Oh That Dude]

Jesus, I fucking hope not. If I were in your position I like to think I'd go and talk to the school psychologist.

 

[teutonicman]

Doubtful, even if she was the public backlash against the school would be massive.

 

[silver wolf009]

I'm sorry, did you just question a schools motives? Did you just question the flawless logic they use to come to their decisions? How dare you think you can second guess them?!

Yes, I would imagine that they could, but from what I see, they are just using a scare tactic. Maybe it isn't working, but I don't think they intend to actually expel your friend.

 

[Fanta Grape]

For starters, I wouldn't recommend asking this on the Escapist. You should actually consult a few people around the school personally. Not to mention getting someone expelled would be an extremely tedious task for everyone involved.

That having been said, I hope the best for your friend as I know how difficult depression can be. Good luck.

 

[Xyphon]

If the school psychologist isn't doing her job and is instead making someone feel like shit, I'd say your best bet would be to take the matter to your school board.

 

[Matthew Wilson]

I'm not sure, I don't think she can be kicked out I think the psychologist was just using shock treatment but if it's just making her worse then someone should say something. Even ask a teacher if your friend is in danger of expulsion.

 

[Trolldor]

Okay, this is actually my friend, not just some person I've made up, as to remain anonymous.

Anyway. So this friend of mine, (Let's call her JenniferFirst name I could think of) is extremely depressed, to the point of anorexia and self harm. To make a long story short, the high school we both attend found out about this, and has sent her to the school psychologist.

Except the school psychologist isn't helping her. All she has done is threaten Jennifer with expulsion if she continues to starve herself, or cut herself. Not a single word of help. Just threats.

I'm honestly really concerned about this. Jennifer is terrified of expulsion, and while she has stopped her self destructive behaviours, she hasn't stopped thinking these thoughts. She's still borderline suicidal, and getting worse thanks to this threat hanging over her.

So I need to know. Can she actually be kicked out? We both live in Western Australia, and attend a Public school.

You don't have a school psychologist, at best you have a counsellor, at worst a chaplain.

Secondly, unless it's a private school they can't kick her out. Public schools can notify agencies which have the authority to move children about, but the school itself can't.

 

[Actual]

Of course she can be kicked out.

For two reasons:

1. Being in the school is obviously not good for her and she needs better help. She should be in an institute which can help her.

2. If she's hurting herself they have a responsibility to keep that behaviour away from other children, teens are stupidly responsive to that sort of behaviour it can actually spread. Also if there's a chance she's going to kill herself they absolutely need to distance her from the other children, a class-mate committing suicide is massively traumatic.

Disclaimer: I do not necessarily think these are good reasons, I also don't think they are the best way to help the girl, but they are reasons that the school could legitimately use to expel her.

I think the girl does need to be refereed to a professional and the school psychologist needs to be fired.

 

[PureChaos]

that just sounds like the psychologist isn't doing her job properly. if someone's got problems, adding the stress of possible expulsion like that would probably just make things worse.

 

[Woodsey]

No.

And err... I would say its more likely that 'Jennifer' is lying. Most people don't want to see a psychologist, if she says they've been saying shit like that then she'll think she won't have to go.

 

[raidner]

sometimes fear helps, but in this case, its fucking retarded why would to school do that!!?! i think you should report the school psychologist!!

 

[Mr Somewhere]

Doubtful, even if she was the public backlash against the school would be massive.

This, the psychologist is being terribly unreasonable, hell she isn't even doing her damned job. I'd seek outside help.

 

[Exterminas]

Sue the school, that might be torture of a sick person. Oh, and get her to a real doctor, not some lunatic that ended up in a school.

You don't get infront of folks in wheelchairs and tell them that they will loose their job if they don't muster the will to stand up.

Oh, and make sure that the story you told us is the truth, meaning talk to the school doctor yourself. Your friend might be delusional and only percieving the doctors attempts at helping as a thread. Just because an (insane) person tells you something, it doesn't have to be reality.

 

[Verlander]

Firstly, when you say public school, do you mean state school? There's a difference, in my country at least.

Secondly, is "Jennifer" actually you? I'm asking because I don't believe this at all. A psychologist or whatever gains nothing from making threats. Someone who has these kinds of problems don't generally want people to help them out, they are self depreciating, and generally read into things incorrectly.

Talk to the psychologist, and get her referred to a real psychologist. In the respect, it should be on the health service and be free for her (not sure what the healthcare system is like in Aus, but in the UK, that's how it would be counted).

 

[Glamorgan]

Secondly, is "Jennifer" actually you? I'm asking because I don't believe this at all. A psychologist or whatever gains nothing from making threats. Someone who has these kinds of problems don't generally want people to help them out, they are self depreciating, and generally read into things incorrectly.

No, Jennifer is not me. While I will admit, I do share the same conditions she has, we are two separate people, and the psychologist has no idea about my condition.

And thanks everyone for your answers. While they've been quite mixed, you all have been helpful.

And this is definitely what happened, she's not lying.

 

[MasterOfWorlds]

I doubt it. I had a friend that was doing similar things back in middle school and I threatened to go to the faculty if she didn't stop. She stopped right away because she didn't want her parents to find out/get in trouble with anyone.

Granted, she didn't have the severe depressive bits going on. I'd say that if she's really as bad as you say, she needs professional help, not just some school psychologist. I don't think that they're legally allowed to prescribe anything anyway. If she's only a psychologist, I know she's not allowed to. But I'm not sure if school therapists are allowed to prescribe anything.

Your best bet would be to actually talk to her about seeking professional help since it might actually help her out with the depression, stop the anorexia, and she'd be less stressed out about the expulsion threat if she was taking steps to get help. I suppose I should ask if she's always been a little on the depressive side or if this is a recent development. I used to be a pscyhology major, so there are certain things that I might know that might be able to point her in the right direction as far as getting help goes. Keep in mind that I'm a former psychology major though, so I can't make any promises about my solutions being a permanent fix. XD

 

[Verlander]

Secondly, is "Jennifer" actually you? I'm asking because I don't believe this at all. A psychologist or whatever gains nothing from making threats. Someone who has these kinds of problems don't generally want people to help them out, they are self depreciating, and generally read into things incorrectly.

No, Jennifer is not me. While I will admit, I do share the same conditions she has, we are two separate people, and the psychologist has no idea about my condition.

And thanks everyone for your answers. While they've been quite mixed, you all have been helpful.

And this is definitely what happened, she's not lying.

Then get her into some real help, and get her to complain (join her as well, for support) to the headteacher, and if they don't do anything, take it to the directors/pta/governors (whichever you have). This sort of thing is bad for the school, and it's image, and they don't want it to be released to the press

 

[LordDarkPhantom]

The school has absolutely no authority whatsoever to exclude the student for these actions. These are simply scare tactics to help her stop doing this.

I advise her to take this higher up - the school board or the headmaster - and force them to impose some sanctions/warnings towards this "psychologist".

 

[Baneat]

Firstly, when you say public school, do you mean state school? There's a difference, in my country at least.

Funded by the govt. + paid for by taxes