Cho Soon at Texas Tech
In recent days, the case of cho doo Soon Texas Tech has made national headlines, and the student’s
multiple testimonies in court have prompted concern from fellow students and teachers. Several other
recent articles have addressed the effects of this atypical behavior on campus. The following are excerpts
from one of these articles. Read on to learn more about this case and the impact it has had on the campus.
Concern among teachers
Despite the fact that the shooting was a tragic accident, concern among teachers about Cho Soon at Texas
Tech remains high. The young student’s anger and violent writings have caused concern among teachers
and students. As a result, Virginia Tech has been fined by the U.S. Department of Education for failing to
issue a prompt campuswide warning about Cho’s conduct. Here are some of the concerns that teachers
have regarding Cho Soon.
The first concern raised by educators about Cho was his nationality. As a South Korean national, Cho had
legal status as an “alien” when he committed the murder. Cho was also diagnosed with severe anxiety
disorder and selective mutism during his middle school years. He received therapy and special education
assistance during his junior high school years, and continued to face bullying throughout his high school
years. Then came the video about Cho’s recent “addiction” to drugs and violence.
In response to this crisis, the College of Education at Texas Tech University spearheaded a multi-
institution effort to recruit teachers in rural West Texas. The grant from the Prentice Farrar and Alline
Ford Brown Foundation funded the program. The partnership seeks to provide teachers with skills and
training needed for the needs of rural West Texas. A large percentage of the state’s teachers are relocating
to the Houston area, and Texas Tech is part of that solution. The college will work with the local
community to develop a teacher pipeline that will benefit all students.
Concern among fellow students
After two classmates were killed in a shooting in their dorm on March 13, student Cho Soon returned to
his dorm and re-armed, leaving a note behind. Cho then drove to a classroom building on the other side of
campus and opened fire in four classrooms, killing 30 people and then killing himself. Cho opened fire
stone-faced and was later found dead with part of his face missing.
A woman who taught Cho’s poetry class at Virginia Tech says that she first became concerned about his
behavior when she began working with him one-on-one. She said she spoke with Cho outside his home
Tuesday about his behavior. She said that Cho’s writings did not contain explicit material, but that Cho did
make threats that were vague but still disturbing. Cho’s writings often contained references to violence,
which worried teachers and fellow students.
President Schovanec, who shared the news of the student’s COVID-19 test, addressed the concerns of
fellow students. He shared a memo with students about the CARES Act and COVID-19 funding. He also
shared updates on the Summer Session I fees and the Red Raider Guarantee tuition program. He also
announced that Texas Tech would resume in-person classes during the fall semester of 2021.
As a student, you should report any positive test results to your professors, supervisors, and the Dean of
Students Office. If you are in doubt about your health, you can contact Student Health Services (SHSP),
which will send you an email alert. When you’ve received the letter, notify professors and the Dean of
Students Office to get their opinion on the matter. You may not want to attend classes or social functions
if you’re in isolation, so it is best to stay home.
Impact of atypical behavior on campus
A report published last year by The Chronicle of Higher Education found that more than half of all
college students experience atypical behaviors in some form. But what causes these behavior patterns?
What can be done to change the trend? And how can students at Cho Soon at Texas Tech address this
problem? Read the full report to find out. This article was written by Dr. Michael R. Smith, professor of
Educational Leadership Policy.
