I was wondering how many people read the article in The Lima News, “The Odd Downfall of the School Librarian of the Year?” (Monday, April 10, Page 4B).
It told the story of a respected school librarian who experienced an inexplicable downward spiral losing his job, family, money and eventually his life. How did his life end by having his throat slit in a homeless shelter? All of these out of place behaviors were caused by a medical condition called Frontotemporal Degeneration, which was discovered following an autopsy. This condition often emerges in persons in their 50’s and 60’s and can alter their personalities and behavior.
I couldn’t help but associate some of these behaviors with the recent incidents involving the former music teacher at Allen East High School. Could there possibly be a medical condition that could explain some of his actions? Perhaps we shouldn’t be quick to judge. We could very well have our own headline: “The Odd Downfall of the Beloved Marching Band Director.”
Mary L. Morscheck, Lafayette
