How is School Affecting Student's Mental Health?

Grades, passing periods, and bathroom breaks. All of these are things that stress, or press, our students. But, how else do they feel about certain aspects of school? We interviewed students regarding this question to see how school affects them. 

How do you feel today?

Amellia Kernan: “Alright, not the best.” 

How do you feel about coming in to school 5 days a week? 

Amelia Kernan: “I think we should only come in 2 days a week.”

What do you feel we should come in 2 days a week?

Amelia Kernan: “Because I feel like we shouldn't have to work 5 days a week.”

How do you feel before school compared to after school?

Aliah Farmer: “Before school I am tired and after school I'm mad.” 

Why are you mad?

Aliah Farmer: “Im mad because school is stressful.”

Your least favorite class is gym. On a scale from 1-10, how much does gym mentally drain you?

Aliah Farmer: “it drains me 2/10.”

How do you feel having to come in early 5 days a week?

 “I wish days were shorter.”

 How is your mental health with the extra sports? 

“It’s alright. Could always be better.”

These interviews happened during 3rd period in the PATS Newsroom. These interviews were a start to figuring out how much school actually hurts kids.They may be learning, but at what cost? According to the National Association of School Psychologists “students who receive social–emotional and mental and behavioral health support achieve better academically.” 

The cause of school being so cramped with schoolwork/homework, and the fact that there are only weekends to finish all that work can seriously affect someone's mental health. We need a day every week that we can calm down and relax. A day that we can choose if we want to come that day or not. A day where we can learn if we want. 

Amellia Krenan says that, “Yeah sure, I think we should have a day like this because I think it would help impact the betterment of kids' mental health.”

Aliah Farmer says that, “I think instead we should have one day to catch up on missing work so that way we are still learning.”

Kalani St.Andre says that, “I think we should have a day like that at least once a week so we can keep our mental health good.”

By: Ash Rogers

This was made on 10/2-10/5 in Douglas Middle School 3rd period, room 808, Mrs. Awe’s room.