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<p>As a follow up question to the attorneys, if the schools let the student with known prior risk back because they were advised by legal counsel/found through court ruling against them in that case that not allowing the student back would bring them into conflict with the ADA/anti-discrimination laws against the mentally ill, to what extent could the school’s responsibility be mitigated or even eliminated…if any if another incident occurred?</p>
<p>If Betsy were my daughter I’d be a lot more concerned about having the college immediately remove the roommate’s things from the room and change the locks on the door. I’d also want to know from an administrator if there is any chance this girl will be allowed back into the college, and if so what roommate’s limitations would be and what safeguards my daughter would have. </p>
<p>The cost of an outfit and a set of sheets is not worth making a stink over and seems petty. My daughter’s safety would be paramount. Beyond that, I wouldn’t add to the roommate’s parents problems - they have their hands full already. (Although if the damage were photographed that would be good to hold on to, as well as copies of the printouts and emails - just in case someone later tries to claim Betsy provoked this or the roommate wasn’t really that dangerous or unstable).</p>
<p>Poetgrl >> I agree, it was totally over the top aggressive. Maybe the panicked reaction of a mom who is looking for someone to blame.</p>
<p>I’m not excusing her. I totally agree that Betsy needs a restraining order against both of them. I can feel sorry for the roomate and her parents - but that doesn’t excuse their behavior.</p>
<p>A restraining order protects them. It can always be lifted At least it documents the risk and concern, and perhaps will help the parents understand the seriousness of their daughter’s situation.</p>
<p>Same for considering filing charges. They can always be dropped.</p>
<p>and how would you describe your room mate? Oh, she’s a mix of Sheldon Cooper and Norman Bates.</p>
<p>Seriously, I would make sure there were protections in place for D. The mother buys into the fact that D is to blame. They are all nuts. I would actually have my attorney send a formal letter to the University to make sure they are taking this seriously. Screaming, accusing mother and scissors in the bed are the stuff of horror films…WAY over the top. It seems like restraining orders are reasonable given the extreme circumstances.</p>
<p>Sounds like Betsy is a well adjusted kid. Good for her.</p>
<p>“do we really want to see a person who is clearly suffering from mental illness processed through the criminal justice system, with potential jail time and a criminal record for life?”</p>
<p>I support a lot of compassionate changes to our law affecting mentally ill defendants. That said, I think that violence and threats of violence should be reported to the criminal justice system, whatever its current flaws. It is their job to apply the law and decide what the mitigating factors are. They won’t necessarily prosecute her, or jail her. It’s not the victim’s job to protect the assailant from the law.</p>
<p>Most mentally ill people who commit violent crimes are still legally responsible for their crimes, and in my judgment, they are often morally responsible, too. There isn’t any mental illness that makes someone stick scissors in a roommate’s mattress. The vast majority of paranoid schizophrenics – the most severely disabled group of patients – do not commit acts of violence, even when they perceive terrifying threats. From the little we’ve been told, this doesn’t sound like a case of a person so ill that she couldn’t understand what she was doing (as in, she thought Betsy was an alien sent to kill her).</p>
<p>If this roommate were allowed back on campus in the future, following treatment, and then hurt another student, yes, the college might face an ugly lawsuit, and their attempts to comply with the ADA wouldn’t necessarily protect them from a judgment.</p>
<p>I agree with that. Being violent towards another person is not the natural outcome of mental illness. </p>
<p>Furthermore, if somebody is mentally ill, one of the tools to get them to adhere to medication protocol is facing the consequences of their behavior. It’s important to not shield from consequences because compliance with treatment is dependent on understanding there are personal prices to be paid for acting out.</p>
<p>I agree with what both of you say, but I have visions of the roomie ending up in jail with no treatment. I suppose that is unlikely in this case, though.</p>
<p>I know consolation. And I like this about you. </p>
<p>I doubt she will end up in prison.</p>
<p>Whenever something even more horrific occurs (think Virginia Tech or Newtown shootings) it often comes out in the ensuing investigation that there were signs of mental illness and often comments along the lines of “Why didn’t someone step in before it got to this point?”
I don’t live too far from Newtown and was in our local HS that day, with one student who had a cousin at that elementary school. The roommate’s family and the college have a huge, flashing red warning sign and are actually lucky that it ended with shredded clothes and scissors in the mattress and not bodily injury or death. I truly hope the RM gets treatment and the family understands the importance of this. To that end, I join the chorus of those recommending documentation via the legal system with police report and restraining order, following up the U’s administration to ensure there are protections in place.</p>
<p>Just checking in to let you all know that I am reading the thread. I haven’t really heard anything from Betsy’s parents other than that Betsy is doing “fine.” Mom did say the Betsy wants to stay on her floor because that is where she has made friends, and she is getting a lot of support from them. She may swap rooms with the RA. And, as someone here has suggested, she has requested a girl in a forced triple on the floor as a new roommate. I am sure the university will do this for her.</p>
<p>I am going to send an email to her mom tonight outlining some of the ideas expressed here, especially as to contacting police/getting a restraining order. They may have done so already but I don’t know.</p>
<p>There were a couple of other thoughts I have had–</p>
<p>–Would it be likely that the destruction of a roommate’s property would be a violation of the housing contract with the university, and thus the roomie can be excluded from housing, period? Totally avoiding any discussion of mental health issues etc–just a focus on what the roomie did as the basis for evicting her.</p>
<p>–I am also wondering what effect roomie’s behavior might have on any scholarships or financial aid she might have. If she is suspended – could that have an effect? </p>
<p>This alone might get her away from campus.</p>
<p>I’ve known of at least one case where the student who had offended others was not allowed back on campus until the girls graduated. The restraining order held firm.</p>
<p>Slashing clothes and a mattress are seriously disturbed behaviors. Highly unlikely she woud spend time in jail, but she could be court mandated to be seen in weekly psychotherapy. Destruction of personal probery is a crime, and definitely a police matter. A restraining order is secondary to this crime.</p>
<p>I can speculate that these acts of violence are not the first exhibited by the roommate, and her parents know this.</p>
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<p>Not necessarily. It’s not uncommon for young adults with mental health issues to get through high school without this type of manifestation, only to arrive at college and have a breakdown. It’s likely they (the parents) knew she had mental health issues (or not, if they’re in denial), but I don’t think it’s safe to assume she’s acted out violently prior to this. The stress of going away to school for the first time could have been the trigger that set off her first such episode.</p>