A number of deaths have shaken Tam this semester. Although this is a difficult subject to discuss, it is important that a conversation regarding grief remains open. We are all affected by loss, directly or indirectly; it is difficult to watch loved ones struggle when they lose someone close to them.

Through this grieving process, Tam has been accommodating of those students and faculty members who are mourning. In many cases, the social borders and cliques at our school have begun, if only gradually, to break down. Classmates who had once barely spoken have reached out to one another. Teachers have been extremely understanding, granting extensions and allowing students to leave class if need be.

Our community must ensure that this conduct continues, as it’s important that school does not become a further source of stress for grieving students. Mourning is not a process that takes a uniform amount of time. If students are still in need of support, or just a break from their day-to-day stressors, Tam should continue to accommodate those needs.

Students should be able to turn to the community if they are upset. There are resources available to students on campus, including Bay Area Community Resource (BACR) counselors. In addition to Tam’s counselors, who regularly work with students’ academic and emotional issues, BACR counselors work with students to address personal issues in individual and group settings. Students can request appointments with a BACR counselor by filling out a form available outside the BACR counseling offices, in Room 126 and 127 in Wood Hall, across the hall from the general school counseling office. Students can also reach Emily Peairs, a BACR staff counselor and Tam’s site supervisor, by phone at 415-380-3530 and by email at [email protected] if they are interested in scheduling a meeting with a BACR counselor.

As a community, we must continue to create an environment where students feel comfortable grieving whenever and however they need.