When the news broke that snow days would be a thing of the past thanks to remote learning, I jokingly warned my youngest daughter’s principal that she’d be taking a mental day to play in the snow. Well, a bill that is set to be introduced in the state Legislature could actually make mental health days a reality for students. Senator Brad Hoylman of Manhattan plans to introduce the bill that would make mental health days an excused absence for students.
According to Pix11, a survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the website Brainly found that, ‘44 percent of high schoolers report feeling sad or hopeless, and 67 percent of all students say they need a mental health break from their studies.’ While some may argue that the measure is not addressing the mental health challenges that students face, many agree that sometimes students just simply need a break. The bill will be introduced to the Senate this week in Albany. Read more here.