Letters from fellow students written to the family of David Phan paint a picture of the 14-year old boy as a caring compassionate young man who himself talked another youth out of suicide. Phan himself committed suicide the same day his school suspended him for having a condom in his backpack. In excerpts of the letter published by Hyphen Magazine, a boy wrote: “Dear Phan family. Your son David is a life saver. I’m going to miss him…This kid is amazing, has a great personality…I’ve never met someone who could make me smile when I’m deeply sad. He saved my sister’s life. She was going to kill herself, but you [David] talked her out of it. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t have a sister because of him, your son…I will not forget you [David].” Since the suicide, the Granite School District has released what the family considers confidential information about David in an attempt, the family says through the ACLU was “crafted to deflect questions about any potential responsibility from the District and to try to cast blame and suspicion on David and his family.” David who came out as Gay was supported by his family. They were not aware he was being subjected to bullying at school after coming out. An article in Hyphen Magazine details the events that lead up to the suicide and the reaction since then. The article raises important questions about the role the school district played in all this.
