WaPo on the mental health crisis students are experiencing

[Anonymous]

They do a nice job of capturing the scale of the problem.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/student-mental-health-pandemic/2021/01/21/3d377bea-3f30-11eb-8db8-395dedaaa036_story.html

[Anonymous]

I don’t understand why there’s no sense of urgency to get kids back. To me, keeping schools closed for almost a year is a crisis. I don’t think we even know yet the scope.

[Anonymous]

One of my kids is a mess and the school psychologist who is wonderful is also fully.booked.

[Anonymous]

There are also students who have had an significant improvement in their mental health during DL because the schedule allows them more sleep or freedom from bullying, chaotic classrooms, etc. My daughter has barely stuttered this entire time. She has friends who have been able to reduce meds. Hearing the same from other parents on DCUM. Guess our children don’t matter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are also students who have had an significant improvement in their mental health during DL because the schedule allows them more sleep or freedom from bullying, chaotic classrooms, etc. My daughter has barely stuttered this entire time. She has friends who have been able to reduce meds. Hearing the same from other parents on DCUM. Guess our children don’t matter.

Mental health professional/researcher here. I agree that some kids, removed from distractions, bullying, etc., are doing better academically and emotionally at home. But there's no denying that a larger proportion of both adults and children have had mental health difficulties that have either begun or gotten worse during the pandemic.

I have friends whose kids have chosen to do DL when hybrid was available, since they prefer to be home and are doing better this way. While I sympathize with those families, from a public health perspective, we need to think about how to get the majority of kids back in school. There may be long-term societal repercussions for this generation of kids if we allow them to continue to be out of school, not to mention economic repercussions given the families (mostly mothers) who have quit jobs or cut back on work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are also students who have had an significant improvement in their mental health during DL because the schedule allows them more sleep or freedom from bullying, chaotic classrooms, etc. My daughter has barely stuttered this entire time. She has friends who have been able to reduce meds. Hearing the same from other parents on DCUM. Guess our children don’t matter.

No one is trying to take that away from you. We just want hybrid as well for those kids who need it. Stop with the self-serving false equivalence.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are also students who have had an significant improvement in their mental health during DL because the schedule allows them more sleep or freedom from bullying, chaotic classrooms, etc. My daughter has barely stuttered this entire time. She has friends who have been able to reduce meds. Hearing the same from other parents on DCUM. Guess our children don’t matter.

Mental health professional/researcher here. I agree that some kids, removed from distractions, bullying, etc., are doing better academically and emotionally at home. But there's no denying that a larger proportion of both adults and children have had mental health difficulties that have either begun or gotten worse during the pandemic.

I have friends whose kids have chosen to do DL when hybrid was available, since they prefer to be home and are doing better this way. While I sympathize with those families, from a public health perspective, we need to think about how to get the majority of kids back in school. There may be long-term societal repercussions for this generation of kids if we allow them to continue to be out of school, not to mention economic repercussions given the families (mostly mothers) who have quit jobs or cut back on work.

PP again, meant to finish my thought. I think we do need to think about how to best serve the kids who are actually doing better at home. I'm not sure remaining in DL indefinitely is the answer. Getting the right supports at school, expanding mental health and special ed services, etc., may be the better answer, and perhaps allowing some sort of hybrid for these kids where they get at least some in-person time. But a return to in-person should proceed when possible to serve the needs of the majority of kids--including many from disadvantaged backgrounds--who are not doing well under DL.

[Anonymous]

WaPo’s reporting on this, and anything to do with schools and childhood development, is subpar.

Take with a grain of salt.

[Anonymous]

It will be years to recuperate from this mental health crisis, and unfortunately, some never will. The trends in suicide rates over the pandemic should be worrisome to everyone.

[Anonymous]

I am happy they are prioritizing vaccinating teachers and staff, but what about parents? That is the reason kids are being kept home. Not because we’re worried about our kids dying of covid but because we are worried about our health. Why, here in DC, will an overweight 25 year old get a vaccine months before I do? I can’t send my kids back until I’m vaxxed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are also students who have had an significant improvement in their mental health during DL because the schedule allows them more sleep or freedom from bullying, chaotic classrooms, etc. My daughter has barely stuttered this entire time. She has friends who have been able to reduce meds. Hearing the same from other parents on DCUM. Guess our children don’t matter.

you may enroll in Friendship Online Charter. Let the rest of the kids go to school. PS: someone talking about their problems doesn’t negate your problems.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am happy they are prioritizing vaccinating teachers and staff, but what about parents? That is the reason kids are being kept home. Not because we’re worried about our kids dying of covid but because we are worried about our health. Why, here in DC, will an overweight 25 year old get a vaccine months before I do? I can’t send my kids back until I’m vaxxed.

Because dc has decided that obesity is a pre existing condition. Which it is. Some people are never happy. Are you also mad that they are reserving vaccine slots for wards 7 and 8?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
WaPo’s reporting on this, and anything to do with schools and childhood development, is subpar.

Take with a grain of salt.

Trying to take a page out of Trump's book of attacking the press when you don't like the message, huh?

I take everything I read with a grain of salt, but this article points you to a lot of studies and data and observations from experts that you can follow up on if you want to know more. It's not just some collection of anecdotes.

[Anonymous]

Seriously advocate for teacher vaccinations. Now. That’s the conversation we should be having.

Then we can all go back properly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
WaPo’s reporting on this, and anything to do with schools and childhood development, is subpar.

Take with a grain of salt.

How so? Why is it subpar?