<p>I strongly advise every parent out there to get medical waivers signed at the beginning of each school year giving them full access to their kids records. When schools see parents who have waivers signed for academic records and medical records, they may be more inclined to call when a problem arises, if only to avoid any potential liability. If the school had a waiver(s) for this child, perhaps they could have contacted his parents when the first email came in without breaking any privacy laws. This is a tragedy that can happen to any family, even those with no known history of depression.</p>