Should more schools give students and staff mental health days?

Posted Dec. 11, 2022

By Aislynn Hawk

Cub Reporter

Yes, a majority of high schools are spreading more awareness about mental health than they have in the past, but should they do more, possibly give staff and students mental health days?

Everybody deserves a break from school if it is having a negative impact on their mental health, even if the mental health issues belong to a teacher.

For years, teachers, and other staff, have struggled to manage their own mental health, school playing a big role in that.  Although students and teachers have dealt with mental health problems for quite some time, people nowadays have become much more open about their struggles, causing more students to reach out for help. Students have got a number of things to help with this, staff should be given the same amount of support that students get.

A high percentage of high schools offer mental health resources, this includes David Douglas. Although these resources are helpful, sometimes teachers also need a break from school altogether. School has been known to cause a large amount of academic stress for students, and teachers. This stress can lead people’s mental health to become worse, whether it’s by a big or small amount.

The biggest thing a school can do to help their staff's mental health be the best it can be would be giving them mental health days. Without mental health days, a person can’t get a break from school. As long as one is not misusing this right of a mental health day, there is not a problem.

When we think about these people dealing with mental issues, we need to remember not everyone is the same. While one staff member may be perfectly fine reaching out for help, another may find it more difficult to ask for help or even admit they need help.

People deserve to have multiple options when it comes to managing their own mental health. Counseling isn’t for everybody, which is why there needs to be more options, including a mental health day not only for students, but staff also. I understand if the school administration is concerned about the misuse of it, but students have already been given the right to mental health days, while staff still have not gotten them, which is not fair to them.

It’s a school's responsibility to not only support staff to do their best, but also confirm their staff is all well. If we continue on this path we are taking, staff will continue to have to deal with these issues while also trying to not fall behind in their job. 

Staff’s mental health matters just as much as students' mental health and schools need to show they care about the matter. Mental health days for staff are a step toward creating the best community possible.