The Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE) held a Region C presentation entitled, Threat Assessment: Warning Signs and Risk Behaviors in the Hank Sanders Technology Building Conference Room at Wallace Community College- Selma on Thursaday.

Region C includes Dallas, Lowndes Autauga, Perry and Marengo counties. Counselors, administrators, and first responders attended the presentation in order to learn about the behaviors of students who may commit violent acts.

The presentation was given by ALSDE Regional Safety Coordinator Greg DeJarnett.

DeJarnett said that the key to understanding the mental health is not to sympathize with the students but to empathize with them.

“It isn’t about sympathy, it’s about empathy,” said DeJarnett. “Empathy is understanding the path that someone else has had to travel.”

DeJarnett also stressed the fact that any student is capable of a violent act when placed under certain circumstances, due to bullying, stress or a difficult home life.

“It’s important to know that there is no accurate profile to identify someone capable of violence,” said DeJarnett. “Anyone is capable of doing anything with the right triggers.”

To illustrate this point, DeJarnett played the song “His Old Lady and My Old Lady” by blues musician Little Milton.

In the song, the narrator learns of his partner’s infidelity and is greatly distressed. DeJarnett said that a situation like the one in the song could trigger ordinary people to do violent things.

DeJarnett also said that the key to keeping children mentally healthy is for parents, administrators and other community members to work together to develop a sense of community in which children feel safe.