A culture of healing

For the last few years, it seems like everyone has been struggling. And it’s no wonder. A global pandemic. A contentious election. A racial reckoning. Ongoing conflict, often fueled by social media, where the pandemic led many of us to spend more time than ever. The disequilibrium of our times has affected us all. Our students are no exception.

The most recent Youth Risk Behavior Survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2023), which includes data from 2011 to 2021, showed growth in the percentage of young people expressing persistent feelings of sadness or contemplating or attempting suicide. Female and LGBQ+ students were more likely to report feelings of sadness or suicidal thoughts. Hispanic and multiracial students expressed more feelings of sadness, and Black students were more likely to attempt suicide. These data tell a story of worsening mental health across the board, with students from marginalized groups experiencing the greatest risk.

These problems are too big for schools to handle on their own, but they’re also too significant for schools to ignore. Students who come to school with mental health challenges are not going to be ready to learn. At the same time, the CDC report notes that feelings of connectedness at school can protect students from negative mental health outcomes.