Stressed out: Ending an Insensitive Era

Riots. Murder. School Shootings. Suicides. Terrorism.

Every day, our televisions and radios inform us of the crime and violence bombarding our country. The exposure doesn’t stop there. With its ever-growing popularity, social media has become a prominent outlet for news. Nothing is kept secret with the internet these days.

Unfortunately, this also means nothing is kept safe from students.

Access to smartphones and the internet has led to an epidemic of exposure for students to see world news. There’s no way to protect them from the mental stresses caused by such news. While students may not discuss politics and world news as regularly as adults do, they’re still affected.

According to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychology (AACAP), “research has shown that children and adolescents are prone to imitate what they see and hear in the news, a kind of contagion effect described as ‘copy cat’ events. Chronic and persistent exposure to such violence can lead to fear, desensitization (numbing), and in some children an increase in aggressive and violent behaviors”.

These negative impressions become more overwhelming for students who have direct ties to what’s happening in the news. This could be anything from the events taking place in their neighborhoods to death of a close friend or family member. Add this negative exposure to the everyday stress of puberty, growing up, and school expectations, and it’s no wonder NPR reports that since 2013, teenagers have reported stress levels exceeding those of adults.

Sensitivity to these common stress levels, however, are lacking in our current school system.

More individual teachers and administrators are being trained to psychologically handle major crises including anything from the death of a student to in-school tragedies. Schools handle these events differently based on resources, capacity, and culture, but often they include counseling services for students during these times.

However, what resources are available for students on a daily basis?

Mental health awareness is on the rise, but using this awareness to implement actual change is the next step to improving the mental well-being of students. We must be flexible and redesign our delivery models in schools to provide trauma sensitive, and responsive environments for our students.

So, what can individual schools, school districts, and the government do to assist in taking care of the mental health of their students?

Evidence-based programs need to be implemented in schools to help students understand the different ways stress can affect them, both physically and mentally. These programs can be one-time seminars but preferably full semester-long classes, depending on what the school sees fit. Associations like the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) offer a variety of resources to assist schools in creating such programs. These programs can address anything from handling news reports on war and terrorism to handling grief and everyday stresses. Programs should be held in smaller groups to amplify the effect on the students.

The same resources need to be made readily available to parents. As NPR reported, “…parents have underestimated what their kids are feeling. This became apparent in 2009 when a Stress in America survey showed that parents had no idea the level of stress their kids were under. But parents are finally starting to notice”.

With parents noticing these stress levels, the next big step is in educating parents how to take care of their children's mental health better. The same resources offered by the NASP can be tailored to show parents how stress affects their children and what they can do to help. Often, parents don't seek professional help for their children because of the stigma surrounding mental health issues.  However, given the current crisis facing our young people, we must provide an environment where we remove this level of shame. Otherwise, we will lose our children. 

Moving forward, it’s also important for schools to understand the impact social media news has on students. There’s little that can be done to protect them from it, so why not help students face it by talking to students and helping them make sense of the news they’re seeing?

The AACAP stated, “…it is important to talk to the child or adolescent about what he/she has seen or heard. This allows parents to lessen the potential negative effect of the news and to discuss their own ideas and values. While children cannot be completely protected from outside events, parents can help them feel safe and help them better understand the world around them”.

Since students spend significant amounts of time at school, having a way to discuss news at school is important since students are going to talk about it on their own.

School districts should begin utilizing district-wide psychologists that are readily available for students. While individual school budgets may not allow for an on-site psychologist, having one available per district can help alleviate that problem. Having these services available creates a resource for students and parents alike; individual meetings with psychologists also allows for student evaluations to identify if students need more help. Keeping on top of this lets both schools and parents protect students from future traumatic events.

Nationally, the government needs to change the laws surrounding mental health help in schools. Laws and regulations play a key part in implementing programs to help schools and districts help their students. The government already identifies the importance of mental health awareness. Now, it’s important to push further than just the recognition.

Students are stressed out. There’s no denying that. It falls on the schools and the government to protect them and to help parents protect them too. This protection comes in the form of a stronger foundation of mental health care. After all, our future depends on the mental well-being of our current students.

Educational Impact: Why Student Voices Matter on School Boards

In spring 2016, the U.S. Census Bureau released a stunning figure: topping just over 75 million, the Millennial generation finally surpassed Baby Boomers in population. These young people, ages 18-34, are rapidly becoming America’s largest generation with an economic and political clout to match. But even though younger voters have been an instrumental part of political and cultural shifts in America over the last several years, there is one place young people are still fighting to be heard: school.

More Millennials have bachelor’s degrees than any other generation before them and, yet, whether you fall on the younger or older end of the generational spectrum can determine a lot about your student rights.

Since school boards were first established in Massachusetts in 1862, Americans have cultivated a rich history of democratic representation and local control in education. Whether a parent or a business owner, you have the chance to hold a direct voice in public and private schools of all kinds.
However, if you are a student, this choice often does not exist.

American school boards are filled with representatives from across the political spectrum at the state and local levels, but too often they have failed to include those directly affected by the choices of the board: students.

A few universities, traditional public schools, and charter schools have been testing student representation, but more often than not, students are the very demographic continuously lacking representation by their governing bodies. As a student, you simply don’t have a say in the decisions impacting your future. How fair is that?

Recently, one Rutgers faculty member raised this very concern. While the university’s Board of Governors had representation from interested parties and alumni, often these board members were 10-40 years removed from university life. The members were completely unaware of new problems affecting current students, such as the need for mental health services and basic changes in curriculum.

The same can be said for schools across America; and not just at the college level.
Over a 4-month period in 2016, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that nearly 21 million youth between 16-24 were employed in the U.S., and these numbers demonstrate the responsibility and influence young people have in their communities. That influence is only growing. So, why can’t these students – who are talented and hardworking enough to hold jobs - also have a voice and a vote when it comes to their education?

This lack of student rights across America raises concerns about the nature of our educational environment itself.

When economic and political interests can carry more weight on school boards than the concerns of students, it is evident that a democratic and student-centered approach to education is lacking. Allowing students to vote in the highest positions of school districts, university leadership, and traditional public or charter school governance demonstrates a strong commitment to student success.

Student representation brings forth fresh perspectives and on-campus knowledge otherwise unknown to school boards, but it also more appropriately reflects the vested interest young people have in their own futures and our American communities overall.

Solving The Problem Of Black Male Achievement – Less Talk, More Action

Solving The Problem Of Black Male Achievement – Less Talk, More Action

Today, we’ve reached a critical point in the Black Male achievement conversation – which means it’s time to stop having a conversation and start taking action. So far, there is no “perfect solution” that can guarantee the success of Black males in the US – the problems of pernicious institutionalized racism, poverty, and a system that’s built to victimize Black males are enormous.

But there is no longer any time to waste. The problems are worse than they’ve ever been before – as of 2014 only about 54% of Black students graduate from high school – and Black males in the twelfth grade have lower average reading test scores than any other ethnic or racial group.

The numbers don’t lie – even as colleges and high schools around the US boast about their exceptional achievements and the bright futures of their students, it is evident we are leaving our Black males behind.

It’s time to stop talking about how we can promote Black male achievement – and time to start taking action. Let’s discuss some novel strategies that could help promote Black male achievement, and have a serious impact on the issue of the “Black Male Achievement Gap.”

Force Schools And Administrators To Recognize The Problem – And Take Action

One of the biggest issues facing Black male achievement is that many schools – especially public schools – fail to acknowledge that Black males are uniquely discriminated against within the system.

Too often, we hear about Black males who are rejected by administrators. They’re written off as “bad seeds,” and sent directly to the “school-to-prison” pipeline. This is not a myth – it’s a fact and needs to be acknowledged as such.

Black males are 4x more likely than white students to be suspended, and over 70% of in-school arrests involve Black or Latino students. Not only that, Black males are 2x as likely to not complete high school – and 68% of all inmates in our federal prison system doesn't have a high school diploma.

We must break down this system of apathy, hate, and institutionalized prejudice. We must recognize that Black males are now more naturally prone to violence or misbehavior than any other group of students – they are products of their circumstances. Poverty, broken families, abuse – these stresses take their psychological toll on our Black youth.

We must force administrators and schools to acknowledge the problem of institutionalized racism – and set aside money for programs and initiatives that are specifically designed to increase the achievement of Black males.

Black male mentorship programs, Rite of Passage programming, and other after-school programs may not be the newest solution around, but they’re proven to work. Males that have participated in such programs have also experienced an increase in academic performance.  These programs are tailored directly to Black youth – and can have a dramatic effect on Black male student outcomes, and help us narrow the achievement gap.

Bring Black Male Students Together, And Present A United Front

Our young Black men in high school often feel targeted, victimized, or alone – and it’s critical that we take steps to solve this issue.

Black males must be taught the skills to navigate and advocate for themselves within the system.  They must take a united stand and say, “no more shall we be pushed to the side and made to feel invisible.”  A radical approach is needed, meaning getting down and understanding the root cause of the problems facing our young men.  Then force change within a system that appears partly invested in solving or improving the educational experience of these youth.  Often, lack of funding, time and capacity are excuses to continue the status quo.  But I ask, where are the education dollars going?  -- Not too many schools in our most economically depressed neighborhoods, not to recruit highly qualified teachers to teach our nations most disenfranchise youth and surely not to create pathways of opportunity for Black males who are facing a high probability of school failure.

We must create an environment that Black males feel welcomed, care for, loved and nurtured.  We must remove the mindset that all Black males are destined for failure.  We must empower our males to be an active participant in their education and make curriculum reflective of their culture and experiences.  I know this is difficult to do in most traditional school settings -- but here’s a thought experiment for you. Why can’t we have more schools that are specifically targeted to [I almost said “at-risk,” but “at-risk” makes it seem like it’s the student's fault] Black males or males of color for that matter?

After-school programs and community organizations can only do so much for our Black males. By implementing a specialized schooling system that focuses on educating and preparing Black males – and not on punishing them – we can arm them with the tools they need to narrow the achievement gap and succeed in life.

There are many of those who believe in the myth of “self-segregation” – and may not approve of this idea. However, the fact of the matter is that the inherent prejudice of the public and private school systems is the primary cause of much of the Black male achievement gap.

Yes, though no education system can be entirely free from failure, a school tailored specifically to youth of color could implement culturally responsive programs and classes that would provide a more engaging learning environment – and provide students with the tools they need to succeed in their life after school.

There Is No “Perfect Solution” – But That Doesn’t Mean We Can’t Act Now!

If we wait around discussing the issue of the Black male achievement gap until we find a perfect solution, we’re leaving our Black students behind. It’s just that simple.

So don’t wait for a perfect solution. If you’re an educator, administrator, or a member of the community, it’s time for action. Even if you can only help one Black male at a time, that’s enough.

We can’t leave our future leaders. If we work together, we can improve conditions for Black youth – and help narrow the opportunity gap for young Black men. The journey will be hard, and the obstacles may seem insurmountable – but our men are worth the investment.