The answer is FALSE. Talk about suicide is something to take seriously! Sometimes the way students 'talk' about suicide is indirectly, through their writing or art work. Alert teachers should pay attention to these types of communications from their students.
Ask the student about anything that gets your attention if it is out of the developmental norm or especially violent. Not every inquiry will need follow-up — but if you get an answer that concerns you, keep your eyes open for other signs of suicide risk.
If a youth talks about suicide as a way to get attention, then you're dealing with a student whose problem-solving skills are pretty compromised. Suicide isn't a socially acceptable way to solve problems or get attention. Any student who talks about suicide, whether or not the threat is perceived as serious, should be referred to your school's resource staff for assessment.
