Most school systems prioritize student attendance because it helps students grow socially and academically. Absences are intended for when one has the occasional cold or a doctor’s appointment. In contrast, when a student chooses to not go to school for a reason other than being sick, it is considered to be improper.
For recent generations, mental health has become a more prominent issue. Mental health itself is not a growing issue, rather more widely focused on. Schools put a lot of pressure on students, causing adolescents to believe that how successful you are in high school, can determine the entirety of your adulthood, through grades, homework and tests. According to The Annie E. Casey Foundation, which prioritizes children’s well being states, 75% of mental health illnesses are seen in kids between the age of ten and 24. Since mental health is more significant in high school, it is important to prioritize students’ well-being.
Some may argue that being sick is the same as having bad mental health. Chronic stress can actually weaken your immune system and lead to one physically being sick. Having a cold is just as important as being bdurnout.
The American school system claims to be focused on students’ well being, yet they discourage being absent for your mental health. Many consider holiday breaks to be a chance to rest and reset. However, a majority of students have other things that take up holiday breaks, like work, sports and other activities; which completely goes against the idea of resetting. Additionally, a handful of teachers give homework to their students during break which also occupies their time. Student teenage years are one of the most stressful times and students need the most support.
Schools should expand their attendance policy to consider mental health days as excused absences. Mental health days will give students to choose when they need a break. It will give students the time to rest and come back to school more engaged and ready to learn. If schools promote taking a mental health day, students will be able to focus on the importance of their mental well being. This will encourage students in the future to not overwork themselves and learn how to manage stress and anxiety.
Currently, a bill in Massachusetts is being proposed for mental health days in school. This bill is known as “Bill S.1421” and it states that students can consider mental health days just like having the common cold. They must have a letter or some sort of documentation from a health care professional, just as they would from being sick. When students come back to school, they would also be able to have support from counselors.
The school system should consider the benefits of implementing a new attendance policy. Students will be better equipped with how to manage stress and understand when their mind needs a break. Schools should also encourage counseling after one returns from a mental health day, to better support them. As a society, it is necessary to promote the idea that mental health is just as important as physical health. Schools need to teach students while they are young that it is acceptable to take a break because it is not a sign of weakness, but a sign of putting yourself first and coming back stronger. With a chance to have an excused absence for mental health, students will be able to manage their stress just as much as being sick from school.
