Pencil Sharpeners Eyed in Self Multilation at Area Schools

Reports of escalating “cutting” incidents in the San Angelo Independent School District have led to a wide-spread rumor concerning a possible ban on portable pencil sharpeners in all area schools.  

According on-campus police, students are reportedly breaking open the sharpeners in order to obtain the blade inside, which is being used as a means to self-mutilate.

“Kids are using social media sites like Snapchat, Instagram, and Facebook to post pictures or videos of cutting. They use their phones and post this stuff thinking it’s cool.” said Sgt. Quintin Williams of the mental health division of the Tom Green County Sheriff’s Office. “We have seen a definite influx in calls for service related to cutting in the current school year.”

Sgt. Williams voiced his concerns as a campus security officer and a mental health officer.

“A lot of times these behaviors are a cry for help," Williams said. "As a cutter, it takes one time to cut in the wrong area, or cut too deep, you can bleed out. Their bodies are so small they don’t even realize the real damage that can be done until it’s too late. It is not a game. These kids are physically harming themselves in some cases to the point of being taken to the hospital, and getting stitched up.” 

Jamie Highsmith, public information officer for the SAISD, said that the district is aware of "self-harm information" published on social media networks, and warns that the behaviors may not be immediately obvious or expected. 

"For instance, they may sniff markers or Smarties candies," Highsmith wrote in an email. "They may use unexpected objects to harm themselves, such as blades from hand-held pencil sharpeners or razors from shaving cartridges. Currently, SAISD has very, very few students who have displayed self-injurious behaviors from pencil sharpener blades. SAISD asks that parents with concerns contact the school office and speak to a campus administrator or school counselor.” 

Information and statistics on the taboo subject are hard to come by, as the act itself is usually done in seclusion and the aftermath signs are carefully hidden by the perpetrator. Most people who practice self-mutilation begin exercising it in their pre-adolescent to teenage years, and it becomes an addiction, meaning that there is an actual feeling or need to inflict pain upon yourself as a form of release. There are many reasons for this display of self-hate: depression, sexual abuse, anxiety disorder, eating disorders, and bullying are just a few examples.

SAISD urges parents to watch for warning signs that include: a change in eating habits, difficulty sleeping, sudden change in mood (unexpected outbursts of crying or anger), avoidance of social events or activities, use of drugs or alcohol, and withdrawn or introverted behaviors.

Other forms of self-mutilation do exist in the form of ‘games’ played among pre-teens and teens alike. Some of these ‘games’ you may remember yourself from a time when peers desired to prove how tough they are.

• Scorpion: Opponents squeeze each other’s hands, digging their nails into each other’s skin until one relents with a bloodied nail-marked back hand, leaving behind half-moon abrasions.
• Knuckles: This involves the repetitive rapping of ones knuckles against another’s, until one draws blood or the pain is too much to bear.
• Eraser Challenge: In this challenge one recites the alphabet as an eraser is used to literally erase the flesh, if you make it to Z, you are the “winner” (seen on Facebook).
• Salt & Ice Challenge: The mixture of salt and ice creates a chemical burn to the skin. In this challenge you see how long you can hold onto this damaging combo of household items without letting go (seen on Facebook).
• The Choking Game: This “game” gained some media attention a couple of years ago when youth deaths were reported across the nation, as it involves intentionally cutting off the oxygen supply to the brain by way of strangulation.

While these “games” and “challenges” were not reported as activities among school officials or law enforcement here in San Angelo, they are very real occurrences amongst pre-teens and teenagers alike.   

For more information on self-mutliation and putting an end to the cycle, visit the SAFE Alternatives (Self Abuse Finally Ends) website at selfinjury.com.