El Dorado High School Photography Teacher Found Dead in Classroom

By Claire Lewis

(Photo Courtesy: Facebook.com)
Jillian Jacobson

Placentia – Students at El Dorado High School had a devastating shock when they went to their photography class on the morning of Mon., Mar. 2.

Placentia Police Officers stated that students found the classroom door locked, and assuming their instructor, Jillian Jacobson, was late, went to the next classroom to ask that teacher to open the door. What they saw when the door was opened was a horrifying scene:  Jacobson was found in the classroom, hanging from the ceiling.

Staff quickly responded, calling 911, and getting the teacher down in hopes of reviving her.  When paramedics arrived, resuscitation attempt were made, but to no avail.  Jacobson was pronounced dead at the scene.

Detectives are reported as saying that they believed Jacobson, 31, of Anaheim, took her own life, although they were unable to find any suicide note.

Jacobson had been a teacher at El Dorado since 2008, and her expertise was not only in photography, but art education, ceramics and glassworks as well.  With a master’s degree in Educational Leadership, she was known to be an inspiring and caring instructor.

It is reported that Jacobson’s own father committed suicide just four years ago, and that she was struggling with that, although she never let it interfere with her teaching.

The school is said to be reeling from the events surrounding Jacobson’s death, and Kevin Lee, Assistant Superintendent of Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District, said counseling and crisis intervention teams have been made readily available to students, and would continue to be.

Hundreds of students left flowers, candles and notes for the popular teacher at the school’s gates, and at her classroom door.

If you need help, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at (800) 273-8255, or visit http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org.  With help, comes hope.