Washington Graduation Ceremony Will Have Empty Seat for Student Who Died By Suicide; His Parents Aren't Happy

A Washington graduation ceremony will include an empty seat meant for a student who died by suicide in February 2021, but the move has been called an "empty gesture" by the deceased's parents.

Caelan Chastain was a junior attending Hanford High School who was supposed to graduate in June 2022. Instead, his parents, Jim and Miriam Chastain, had been mourning his passing for over a year after the 17-year-old took his own life.

To honor his memory, the school district decided to have an empty seat for Caelan at the graduation. However, there will be no mention of his name nor photos of his face on the seat.

Jim said in his statement to Tri-City Herald that those who will be at the Washington graduation ceremony would not know the story behind the empty seat if it remained bare. The father believes that the school district has to do more to acknowledge their son.

Raising Awareness About Teen Suicide

The Chastain family isn't asking the school to discuss suicide at the graduation since the occasion is a celebration of the students' achievements. However, Jim said that not allowing to say Caelan's name is like he's being erased in the school's history.

An anonymous petition on Change.Org has been set up by Caelen's classmates to convince the school to agree to place a family photo of the Chastains on the empty seat or at least announce his name among the graduates. As of press time, the petition has reached more than 1,800 signatures.

Mom Miriam said their school community in Richland county had lost many kids to suicide since the pandemic. The family said it would help raise awareness about the struggles of teenagers and the importance of mental health if the school district were to recognize the deceased graduating students openly.

Unfortunately, some school districts have unwritten policies about deaths by suicide, even as this is the second leading cause of death among teenagers, per the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Washington's youth suicide rate is higher than most states in the U.S.

Ty Beaver, the spokesperson for the school district, said that they had weeks of discussion with the officials of Hanford High School about the empty seat. The school officials insisted that there should be no mention of his name because they wanted the event's focus on the graduates.

Instead, the principal will read a statement in "recognition of all the losses the Class of 2022 has experienced," whether this is a student, teacher, parent, or someone from the school community, per KEPR.

De-Stigmatizing Suicide in Teens

Caelan's parents said they are skipping the Washington graduation ceremony, which will take place on Friday, June 10, if the school won't recognize their son. The father said that it "would be worth that pain" if their son was remembered the proper way at their school.

The family has received support from other parents whose children's suicide were not acknowledged in schools as well. One mother told the Chastains in the petition that it looks like school officials do not understand this mental condition if they are being "hurtful and prejudicial" towards the loved ones left behind. They want suicide to be de-stigmatized.

For those who may need help or advice, reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline via 800-273-TALK or 800-273-8255.