Married Texas school teacher commits suicide inside classroom while school is in session

A married Texas middle school teacher reportedly killed himself inside a classroom while school was still in session for the day. 31-year-old Jordan Halane, a fine arts teacher, was found unconscious in his classroom at the Wessendorff Middle School in Rosenberg, Fort Bend County, by a fellow staff member this past Monday.

According to ABC13,  after Halane's body was found, medical personnel were immediately called to the scene. The 31-year-old was subsequently taken to the Oak Bend Medical Center for further treatment but was declared dead shortly after.

As the situation unfolded, students were placed on a hold and remained in their classrooms. They were not made aware of the medical emergency, which school principal Sonya Sanzo said occurred in a portion of the campus that was not directly accessible to the students.

She said that the students then continued their classes for the rest of the day with a "slightly modified schedule," adding that there was "minimal disruption to the instructional day." After classes were dismissed at the end of the day, it was ensured that all had transportation and supervision available so they could make it safely back home.

Sanzo insisted that none of the students' lives were in danger. She said it was believed that it was Halane's "intent to harm himself" and that were no weapons on campus that could have posed a risk to the childrens' lives. She also expressed how the school's focus is "always on the safety and well-being of our students."

The Daily Mail reported that Halane had tied the knot in December 2016. He described himself as a "lifelong music lover" who was "passionate about education and the arts." He had echoed the same on his teacher profile, writing, "To me, music is like a box. You get out of it, what you put into it. I love giving my students the tools they need to succeed musically, and build off of the natural talent they have."

Several staff members took to social media to pay tribute to Halane. Annie Kessler, who worked alongside the 31-year-old, wrote on Facebook, "You jokingly greeted me with “boss” most mornings but, as your manager, I learned so much from you about what it looks like to lead with humility, perseverance & joy. Jordan Ali Halane I’m so sad today and so grateful for the love & friendship you brought to this world in such a short time."

Celeste M. Barretto, another peer, similarly wrote, "Jordan was a great recruiter, a great listener, a kind soul, and must have carried pain we knew nothing about. He is deeply missed."

Sanzo sent out a letter to parents detailing the incident. The school has made counseling teams available throughout the week to students who might be in need of them. Students and staff can also call the Texana Crisis Talkline at 1-800-633-5786, which is a 24-hour crisis hotline, to talk about any concerns they may be having.

At the time of writing, it is still unclear why Halane took the drastic step of killing himself.