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The public stigma surrounding mental illness, usually propagated by popular media, is debilitating to students in school, who, as a result, do not seek the help that they need. This can lead to a worsening of symptoms and an interference with success later in life. However, the stigma surrounding mental illness can be reduced in schools by creating a comprehensive workshop for teachers and students during school hours in which all of the student body is educated on topics relating to mental health, including types of disorders, stigma, ways to improve mental health, and how to identify and help people with low mental health or a mental disorder.

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According to this article from Teach for America, 20 percent of children experience diagnosable mental health conditions each year, yet only ½ of children with a diagnosable mental disorder receive mental health services each year, even though the treatment success rates for mental illnesses is 60 to 80 percent.

“These stigmas discourage people from seeking treatment and send the message that mental illness renders one helpless, with no hope of recovery.”

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What comes to mind when you hear the words "mental illness"? You may think of the Aurora movie theater shooting or the tragedy in Tucson, Arizona. Or how about the movies Silence of the Lambs, What About Bob, and Black Swan?

The only time there seems to be a national discussion on mental health is when someone does something that is deviant or difficult to understand. The media calls on mental health professionals to weigh in on the tragedy, and to determine the role mental illness may have played.

Yet mental illness isn't confined to a major shooting or similar tragedy. Approximately 26 percent of adults and 20 percent of children experience diagnosable mental health conditions each year. However, few individuals utilize the needed services when it comes to seeking treatment from professionals such as a psychologist or therapist. The National Alliance on Mental Illness reports that fewer than 1/3 of adults and half of children with a diagnosable mental disorder receive mental health services in a given year.

The images that movies, television, newspapers and magazines portray can lead us to fear, avoid, and discriminate against individuals with mental illness. These stigmas discourage people from seeking treatment and send the message that mental illness renders one helpless, with no hope of recovery.

And the irony is that seeking help makes a tremendous difference. Treatment outcomes for people with even the most serious mental illnesses are comparable to outcomes for common medical or surgical treatments for other chronic diseases. The early treatment success rates for mental illnesses are 60 to 80 percent, well above the approximately 40 to 60 percent success rates for common surgical treatments for heart disease. Extended suffering and worsening of symptoms can occur when someone goes undiagnosed and untreated. Research shows that the earlier someone seeks treatment, the better their treatment outcome will be.

So how can we help combat the stigma that is so deeply embedded in our culture and increase the chances that our students, our friends, our loved ones, and even ourselves might seek the help they need? We can:

1. Train teachers and student peers on how to recognize signs of distress in others and what to do about it (telling someone, for example).

2. Remove barriers for students thinking about seeking help (by funding and training school counselors to prioritize helping students beyond just class scheduling and administering testing).

3. Allow and encourage school counselors to do primary prevention such as stress management, emotional regulation, and teach the importance of help seeking for students. Teaching these life skills is as important as any subject that students learn about in school, they are skills for life!

We have the opportunity to change the culture of stigma in mental illness by educating, creating awareness among teachers, empowering school counselors, and being role models for our students. If we can normalize conversations about mental health and reframe help seeking as the sign of strength that it actually is, we will all be better off.
Janna is a 2007 corps member in the Mississippi Delta region. She taught 4th grade during her two years in the corps and then stayed in Mississippi a third year and taught 5th grade ELA. Before joining Teach For America, Janna majored in psychology. As a teacher, she quickly learned how useful her knowledge in psychology was in helping her meet the needs of her students as well as her own. After teaching, Janna joined the doctoral program in Counseling Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin. Chris is a former corps member (LA '93) and a licensed psychologist. After his two-years teaching, he promptly returned to my alma mater, the University of Texas at Austin, to pursue graduate work in counseling psychology. Chris received his Ph.D. in 2001 and is now a licensed psychologist in the State of Texas, the director of the University of Texas Counseling & Mental Health Center, and the National Mental Health Consultant for Teach For America. Chris currently resides in Austin, Texas, and enjoys spending as much time with his wife and daughter as possible, golf, softball, travel, and most forms of UT Longhorn sports.

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Reducing the Stigma of Mental Illness So Students Get the Help They Need | Teach For America

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What comes to mind when you hear the words "mental illness"? You may think of the Aurora movie theater shooting or the tragedy in Tucson, Arizona. Or how about the movies Silence of the Lambs, What About Bob, and Black Swan?

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This infographic from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) gives basic statistics relating to mental health in children and teens.

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This meta-analysis of the outcomes of 72 studies relating to mental health and stigma, representing a sample study group of 38,364 people from 14 countries, claims that education on mental health-related topics and in-person contact with people with mental disorders are the best methods of reducing the stigma around mental health and mental disorders for both children and adults.

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This study, in which 161 16-18 year old students were questioned and exposed to a three-workshop intervention aiming to reduce the stigma against mental illness, concludes that attitudes against people with mental illness are significantly improved in students who undergo short educational interventions compared to those who do not.

"Small interventions that target specific populations and that use interpersonal ways of communication seem to be more effective."

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Effectiveness of a school-based intervention for enhancing adolescents' positive attitudes towards people with mental illness | Giannakopoulos | Mental Illness

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Effectiveness of a school-based intervention for enhancing adolescents' positive attitudes towards people with mental illness

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Analysis | If Americans really cared about students' mental health, these school ratios would be very different

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February 15 Grief counselors are always made available to help students when there is a traumatic event at a school, such as this week, when a gunman entered a Florida high school and fired a military-style assault weapon, killing 17 people.

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This Buffalo News article summarizes the new New York state law that requires mental health to be taught in schools as a part of the health curriculum.

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When students return to classes next month, they can expect to have more counseling services at their disposal as well as trained teachers keeping a closer eye on their mental health.

A new state law requires it.

The law, signed on July 1, requires New York State elementary, middle and high schools to provide mental health education as part of their health curriculum.

Schools can choose their own approach. The law does not mandate a specific curriculum, said Amy Molloy, director of education for the Mental Health Association in New York State.

Buffalo schools, for example, are expanding trauma-informed care training to help teachers in the fourth, fifth and sixth grades understand how trauma affects people.

Niagara Falls schools are adding more school psychologists and hiring social workers.

The Tonawanda City School District has added a peer mentorship program to address mental health and drug and alcohol abuse.

Mental health education now required in New York schools

Mark Laurrie, superintendent of the Niagara Falls School District, said he saw the urgency for mental health education after seeing the alarming statistics from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey his school district conducted in November 2015.

Nearly 15 percent of the Niagara Falls students who filled out the survey said they seriously considered attempting suicide and 10.4 percent said they attempted suicide during the 12 months before the survey.

"That data from November 2015 put an urgency in our staff, where we needed to do something about it," Laurrie said. "My position is that kids do not and will not care about math, history or social science if they are not happy with who they are. So, if we don't attend to this, then the core curriculum will mean nothing to kids."

School flexibility

An aim of the new law is to encourage more conversations about mental health throughout the core curriculum - in math, English and other classes - so when students are depressed it'll be easier for them to seek help.

Part of what drove the new legislation is the growing mental health problems among children, with one in every five adolescents between the ages of 13 and 18 living with a mental health condition, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.

"I think it's a good idea for state education to not prescribe a specific curriculum because every school is its own unique culture," Molloy said. "It provides flexibility to schools so they can decide what's most relevant to their students."

The New York State Education Department released the "New York State Framework for Mental Health Education Instruction" as a guide for schools to consider when structuring its mental health curriculum.

Teachers in Tonawanda district schools will review the curriculum guide and decide how to implement mental health education in their core classes, such as math, science and physical education, said Amy Edgerton, director of pupil personnel services for Tonawanda district schools.

"We are taking the integration approach," Edgerton said. "This guide will be given to teachers on the opening day of school, and they will be given time to review it and highlight areas they need to incorporate more of."

Molloy said bringing mental health education into schools can begin with simple steps such as inviting career development guest speakers and asking them to talk about how they manage stress.

"This legislation is about more openly discussing mental health well-being and mental health," she said.

In addition, the association offers lesson plans, one-on-one guidance to schools, and additional resources and tools.

Schools also will have access to a one-hour professional online training session provided by the association, Molloy said.

"The training helps them reframe mental health ... to an understanding that everyone has mental health," she said. "And there are things we can do to support it, what are some scientific symptoms of those struggling with mental health."

One of the association's key recommendations includes fostering a positive school environment where mental well-being is valued - a school climate free from stigma so students feel safe and accepted.

"When you have a school where the student feels safe and secure, they feel connected with adults and other youth, and then they can live to their potential," Molloy said.

Molloy said schools play a key role in promoting mental health in all children, and the impact is the greatest when all staff is involved in mental health promotion in all areas of the school, including the culture, policies, curriculum and activities.

Emphasis on training

School districts are also recognizing the pivotal role of teachers and school staff in students' mental health and are expanding training for student staff so they can respond to warning signs and ask the right questions to students about mental health.

For example, Buffalo public schools are extending staff training efforts by providing Trauma Informed Care training to teachers of grades four to six this year, and extending it to other grade teachers over the next two years. The training will focus on learning to understand where trauma and stress come from, and how it impacts individuals.

In addition, the Niagara Falls City school trained its teachers in the spring and summer and will continue training in the fall.

"Trainings focused on teaching educators how to identify the different signs and symptoms of mental health, and learning how to refer students to resources for help," Laurrie said.

In addition, the Niagara Falls City school district is adding more school psychologists and hiring social workers, who are going to focus largely on families with young children from ages 3 to 7.

"Earlier grades is where we have the highest need for support ... and a better beginning for these kids will lead to a stronger completion, and hopefully we won't see the mental health issue we have," Laurrie said.

Laurrie said he believes the new legislation is a path into the right direction to address an ongoing problem and his schools will continue finding opportunities to continue the conversation about mental health.

The Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey is conducted every two years to monitor the prevalence of health behaviors in young adults, and survey responses from Niagara Falls students alarmed district officials.

"We found that an alarming number of students either attempted or were contemplating suicide," he said.

"We will need to intensify our efforts here because the need for mental health education is not going away," he said. "Schools are going to build on our resources but we need to continue attending to it."

Improving community support

A public health approach involves maximizing the mental wellness and resources for the entire school community - the staff, students and families - while teaching children how to identify their feelings and self-management skills.

"It's important as caregivers who are working with students to help students understand mental health and how they can influence their own mental health through stress management and reaching out when help is needed," Molloy said.

Buffalo Public schools chose the public health approach through its "Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child model," said Anne Botticelli, chief academic officer of the district.

This model recognizes the importance of both the psychosocial and physical environment of a student's mental health and the roles that the community and families play, Botticelli said.

"It also addresses the need to engage students and families as active participants in their learning and health," she said.

The Tonawanda City School District said it has been implementing a mental health curriculum for around seven years, but this year, it will include a peer mentorship program to address issues in mental health and drug and alcohol abuse, said Mary Beth Scullion, the district's assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction.

"We will be taking 40 students on a retreat, and teaching those children on how to be mentors for students in grades seven to 12," she said.

Other school districts like the Buffalo public schools are improving services and support through their mental health clinics. For example, its special education department is working with Say Yes Buffalo on improving the process of referring students with mental health needs, and it also will develop new staff training to assist students with social and emotional needs.

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New state law heightens focus on students' mental health

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When students return to classes next month, they can expect to have more counseling services at their disposal as well as trained teachers keeping a closer eye on their mental health. A new state law requires it. The law, signed on July 1, requires New York State elementary, middle and high schools to provide mental health education as part of their health curriculum.

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This article talks about the new laws implemented in New York and Virginia that requires mental health to be taught in schools as part of the health education requirements.

"Empowering young people with knowledge will have a powerful impact in helping them protect and preserve mental health and wellness for themselves and their peers." - Glenn Liebman, CEO of the Mental Health Association in New York State

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By Guest Blogger Sasha Jones
Students returning to Virginia and New York's classrooms this fall will be required to participate in mental-health education as part of their health and physical education courses.

Virginia Governor Ralph Northam signed a bill into law in March that requires a mental health curriculum for 9th and 10th graders. In consultation with mental health experts, the Virginia Board of Education will review and update its Health Standards of Learning to reflect the new legislation.

A similar bill was signed by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in September 2016, and became effective on July 1 of this year. The first-of-its-kind law requires schools to address mental health in health education programs for students in grades K-12, but, unlike Virginia, does not tie that to a specific set of mental health standards.

"Unrecognized, untreated, and late-treated mental illness elevates the risk of mental health crises such as suicide and self-injury. Early treatment enhances potential for recovery and also diminishes negative coping behaviors such as substance abuse," Glenn Liebman, CEO of the Mental Health Association in New York State, said in a press release. "Empowering young people with knowledge will have a powerful impact in helping them protect and preserve mental health and wellness for themselves and their peers."

Since New York's law does not outline a specific curriculum, MHANYS plans to launch a resource and training center to help schools prepare for the upcoming school year. Still, it will be up to the New York State Education Department to decide how to implement the law.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, 18 percent-nearly 1 in 5-U.S. adults live with a mental illness. This increases to 49 percent in adolescents, with 22 percent experiencing severe impairment as a result of mental illness.

Additionally, according to the Centers for Disease Control, suicide rates from 1999 to 2016 have increased in all states, but Nevada. Twenty-five states saw an increase of over 30 percent.

Other states have responded to the increase in mental illness rates with increased funding for school counseling and training teachers to recognize the symptoms of mental illness in order to better refer students to mental health resources.
Photo by Getty

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Schools Are Required to Teach Mental-Health Lessons This Fall in Two States. And That's a First.

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By Guest Blogger Sasha Jones Students returning to Virginia and New York's classrooms this fall will be required to participate in mental-health education as part of their health and physical education courses. Virginia Governor Ralph Northam signed a bill into law in March that requires a mental health curriculum for 9th and 10th graders.

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We've all been there. On the brink of an emotional breakdown, (maybe even in the middle of one) concerned about school, extracurriculars, college, what the heck we're going to be and in the future. Every negative emotion you know bottled up and boiling, and feeling as if it's only a moment before you spontaneously combust. You lash out at friends and family, can't focus on school work, or maybe even completely disengage from it all. do

But the question we must ask ourselves is: how did we get here? And more importantly: what the hell do we do now?

Mental health is something that is rarely talked about within schools (whether that be elementary, middle, high school, or beyond) and yet it is something that is guaranteed to affect everybody's life in one way or another.

We've all gotten sick before right? Sprained an ankle, maybe even broken a bone? And we all know that if we're hurt, that we should go and see a doctor, fix what needs to be fixed, and move on with our lives. But for some odd reason, we don't view our mental health in the same light. We will all struggle with our mental health, yet will rarely -if ever- do anything about it. And as of right now, our schools do not help very much in getting the help or education we need.

Don't get me wrong, our health classes do brush up on the definitions of some things; depression, anxiety, maybe even eating disorders if you're lucky. Other than that though, mental illnesses are viewed as these scary, faraway things that will never truly affect us. A topic too taboo to discuss with the youngsters. Something that means, if we do happen to be that the one in a billion instance of being affected, that we can basically kiss the rest of our life goodbye.

Have I got some news for you, buckaroo.

The statistics surrounding mental illnesses are -to put it lightly- incredibly jarring. One in five of every youth aged 13 to 18 have, or will have, a serious mental illness. Around 8.6% of all of the youth in America have severe depression, however a staggering 76% of those affected -that's around 1.6 million kids- have received inadequate, or simply zero treatment for it at all.

Nearly 50% of adults with chronic mental illnesses developed diagnosable symptoms by the age of 14. Suicide is the third leading cause of death in youth ages 10 to 24, with 90% of those who have died due to suicide having had an underlying mental illness. I could keep going, but these facts barely even graze the tip of the iceberg in regards to mental health and it's affect on our society, especially our youth, today. Yet, the discussion around mental health is still incredibly lacking (if it's even there to begin with).

Based on my own personal experience, I think that the stigmatization of these topics has made it near impossible for students to realize the overbearing presence of mental health struggles amongst our age demographic. Our society has consistently romanticized and ridiculed the topic, to the point where the only mention of mental illnesses are when they're used as a descriptor, derogatory term, joke, or some crude combination of all three. I mean, how many of us have heard -or even said- phrases along the lines of "I'm, like, super OCD" or "ugh, she is so bipolar" or "I wish I was anorexic."

Films and other media have romanticized many of these illnesses to be seen as desirable or "quirky" personality traits. We don't even realize that it's happening, however, mental illnesses are constantly being framed in a wonky light, therefore further subconsciously perpetuating our negative association with it's presence. And unfortunately, this stigma surrounding mental health is only growing.

So what do we do now? How do we get rid of something that is so deeply ingrained within our society?

That's where schools come in.

Ah yes school, the dreaded center of knowledge and (let's be more realistic here) stress. But, there is a power schools have that we often ignore. Schools are the epicenters of education (well, ) and are one of the few places where we get to learn about issues that are prevalent, (normally) in the hopes that one day, currently may be the ones to solve them.

The first step towards solving a problem is recognizing it's a problem in the first place. And somehow, even with its heavy impact and undeniable looming presence in our day-to-day lives, the topic of mental health has been completely avoided by our education system. Now, this is not our schools fault, but I'd be lying if I said that we couldn't do completely more in emphasizing the importance of mental health education and awareness within our schools. Starting off by acknowledging theses issues from the get-go. way

One of the biggest problems I faced while struggling with my own mental health, was simply having no idea where to go or what to do about it. I felt ashamed of my actions, I felt hatred towards myself, and I felt as if all of my struggles were somehow "invalid" and didn't or need "treatment." Having discussed this with many mental health advocates, it seems as though these are recurring feelings amongst nearly everyone who has ever had to reach out for help in regards to their mental health. And every single one of those people would all tell you the same thing: that treatment is not only helpful, but absolutely, positively, matter in order to get better. necessary

Nearly 20% of youth aged 13 to 18 have a diagnosable mental illnesses, yet our schools barely educate us on what these mental illnesses are. We need to have education on these issues starting from elementary and middle school -where these issues first start arising. We need resources at the ready, with mental health information known just as well as we know the quadratic formula.

One of the hardest parts of learning about your mental health is learning to take care of it, but if that's something we learn as part of our general education, that problem can be completely erased.

In response to this lack of education, and (honestly) out of sheer curiosity, I decided to hold a poll on my Instagram. In this poll, I asked six questions in relation to mental health and mental illness education within schools, and asked people to respond to them with a yes or no answer. The results of the poll can be found at the end of this article, but there were two questions in particular whose results, I think, perfectly sum up how mental health education is handled within our schools today.

In my first question, I asked whether people thought that mental health should be discussed more in schools. Ninety-four percent of them answered yes. Next, I asked whether their schools taught about mental illnesses and/or mental health and how to deal with them. Seventy-three percent of them answered no.

Can you see the issue here? It's not the fact that kids don't want to learn about these issues. In fact, it can be seen that they'd prefer it if they did. But when more than 70% of them aren't provided with any information on these topics in the first place, how will they ever be able to acknowledge, and even further, solve the issues regarding them?

One of the main reasons that mental health and illness awareness is so stigmatized can be traced back to that fact that we aren't educated on what these things are in the first place. We aren't aware of the fact that will struggle with their mental health, regardless of whether they have a mental illness or not. We aren't aware of the fact that even if we don't have a mental illness ourselves, we are guaranteed to know someone who does, based purely off of statistics. everyone We aren't aware of the fact that our mental health is identical to our physical health, in that, if we don't take care of it, it slowly deteriorate. We aren't aware of the staggering statistics about mental illnesses and how they affect our society. We aren't given the tools to know what common mental health struggles are or how to take care of them. We aren't given the resources necessary to properly seek additional help if we need it. will

Coming from someone who struggled with bulimia from when she was 12 until I was 15, who didn't understand the extent of danger she was putting herself in everyday she didn't get help, who felt alone, who didn't know that recovery was possible -let alone even a thing , who has watched her some of her closest friends nearly lose their lives to suicide, who talked to nearly hundreds of other students before she realized just how relevant this issue is: we need proper mental health education within our schools.

Not just for that every 1 in 5 statistic, not just for all of the too-young lives lost to suicide, not just for the millions of kids who have to struggle in silence everyday, but for everybody.

Because mental illness is what it's been portrayed as in our media. Because our mental health is something we should brush under the rug. Because 1.6 million children should not have to suffer with a diagnosable medical issue without treatment because it isn't seen as what it is: a medical issue. Because, yes, some diseases are chronic, but all of them can be made livable with proper treatment. And most importantly because we are not, and should never be, alone in these struggles.

Without a proper education on these topics, we will never be able to move forward in eliminating the stigma around them. There are so many other aspects in regards to mental health's presence in our society today, but we need to start . Without resources initially being provided to our youth, these jarring numbers will only continue to rise as we grow older.

So, let's get this conversation going. Start to talk about these issues more. Reach out to your schools about providing resources and raising awareness. Do not ignore your mental health. Try to be more aware of the people surrounding you and how they may be struggling as well, I can guarantee you'll be shocked at the sheer amount of people who are affected; whether directly or indirectly.

Because if there is one thing I can tell you with the utmost confidence, it's that you deserve to live your life to the fullest. That your struggles are valid and should be treated as such. That we can be the force to change the course of how mental health is viewed and treated within our daily lives.

We are the future. Let's make sure that we do everything in our power to ensure that we're a progressive, aware, supportive, and healthy one.

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Instagram Poll:
I asked six yes or no questions in regards to mental health & illness awareness, these are the results:

Question 1: Do you think mental health should be discussed more in school and/or daily life in general?

Question 2: Have you ever struggles with your own mental health?

Question 3: Do you know someone who has struggled with their mental health and/or has had a mental illness?

Question 4: Do you ever feel like you have to ignore your mental health struggles (whether it be due to to school, gender roles, familial, societal, or any other reasons)?

Question 5: Does your school teach you about mental illnesses and/or mental health and how to deal with one or both of them?

Question 6: If yes to the last question, does your school provide accommodations, resources, and/or help for those who may struggles with mental health issues?

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Sources for Statistics:
https://www.nami.org/Learn-More/Mental-Health-By-the-Numbers

Mental Health America- Facts, Stats, and Data
http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/issues/state-mental-health-america http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/issues/mental-health-america-youth-data

US Department of Health and Human Services- Mental Health Myths and Facts:
https://www.mentalhealth.gov/basics/myths-facts/index.html

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Opinion: Why we need to talk about mental health in schools

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We've all been there. On the brink of an emotional breakdown, (maybe even in the middle of one) concerned about school, extracurriculars, college, what the heck we're going to be and do in the future. Every negative emotion you know bottled up and boiling, and feeling as if it's only a moment before you spontaneously...

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Less than two weeks ago, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School senior Emma Gonzalez delivered what amounts to a post-millennial rebuke to every preceding American generation for failing to protect her and her peers. She spoke out against our overly permissive gun laws, the corporate interests that maintain them and the cultural affiliations that make many of us reluctant to accept change.

As Gen-Xers, our thoughts went back to Columbine, our flashbulb memory of the first mass school shooting in our lifetimes. As we've been forced to bear witness over the years, we see similar circumstances playing out: a marginalized student (or former student) with a troubled past or a resentment commits a heinous act.

Lethal power means restriction matters. If 91 percent of suicide attempts with a firearm are fatal, but only 8 percent without a firearm are fatal, think of the lives saved and tragedies averted from implementing common-sense gun restrictions. Imagine the proportionate decrease for homicide attempts.

Yet time after time, we watch mass shootings lead to a call for government action, and time after time the government does nothing. This time, high school students who'd just survived a shooting at their own school boarded buses to Tallahassee and watched as their state legislature refused to reconsider a ban on assault rifles like the one that killed their friends a week before.

If we have taken anything away from Parkland, it's that we no longer have the luxury of delegating the care of our most marginalized students.

Mental health care access also matters. Governments should fund more robust school counseling programs so that students get care long before their feelings of despair and isolation metastasize into violence. But meeting that need will involve cumbersome debates, rebudgeting and hiring. All of that takes time.

Meanwhile, our efforts to address mental health in school have limitations. Researchers who study the impact of mental illness stigma have found that students identified as needing mental health services sometimes find that their friends then avoid them, their family members pity and distrust them, and their teachers fear them and underestimate their abilities.

So while we wait for governments to restrict access to guns and increase access to effective mental health care, what can teachers do?

If we have taken anything away from Parkland, it's that we no longer have the luxury of delegating the care of our most marginalized students to what passes for community mental health. Nor can we siphon off responsibility to providers in our schools - guidance counselors, psychologists, and social workers - or to contexts like advisory or health class that don't command the same respect or rigor from our students. Teachers might fear exploring mental health, a province we're told isn't ours. But apart from parents, who knows kids better than teachers?
RELATED: Teachers' Lounge: A student's obituary should never say 'gunned down while studying for chemistry'
No other profession is better placed to gain the trust of a student in crisis, or a student who might come forward about a struggling peer. Who is better placed than a teacher to organize a student's environment and be a source of consistent support? Our lives may depend on our willingness to brave the shoals of the distressed and the defeated, the socially ostracized and the academically remedial.

As teachers, we can decide to make school more than a place where students learn the skills to cleverly navigate the internet for the purpose of acquiring high-powered weapons. Or making homemade munitions, as in the case of the Columbine murderers. Even obtaining the capital, locating suppliers and identifying safe storage requires, in the darkest way, what we might call initiative, problem solving, creativity and attention to detail. When we teach such "21st century skills" and traditional academic knowledge, what are we helping students use it for?

Is the only purpose of school "to ensure that students graduating from high school are prepared to take credit bearing introductory courses in two- or four-year college programs or enter the workforce," or can school also become a place where students learn how they want to treat themselves, each other, and their world?

Gonzalez's speech was so moving ... because at the worst moment in her school's history, she took charge of her learning and her life.

Emma Gonzalez's speech was so moving not only because she had her facts correct and made sound arguments, but because at the worst moment in her school's history, she took charge of her learning and her life.

Maybe an important element of preventing violence and suicide is empowering all students to make their lives meaningful, in and beyond school. Maybe if students learn how to accept feelings of frustration, fear and embarrassment, they won't need to avoid those feelings by hurting themselves or someone else.

As teachers, we can ask ourselves these questions:

Who at school is empowered and why?

In what contexts at school are students choosing actions consistent with their values?

In what contexts are students struggling to find meaning and fulfillment?

How can we use our academic classes as opportunities for students to explore and enact their values?

Who is most marginalized, and how can we help them reconnect with their families, peers and teachers?

What further support do students need, and how can we help them get it?

So on March 14, when we walk out, we are putting legislators on notice that they'd better make restricting access to firearms their immediate priority. When we walk back in, we can step up to a role where we are choosing to measure ourselves not only by the academic and athletic achievements of students who already feel successful, but also by the extent to which all students turn school into a source of meaning and vitality.
The PBS NewsHour's Teachers' Lounge blog, written by teachers or school-related staff, gives the public a glimpse into how current events affect life inside schools. Sign up for the PBS NewsHour Education mailer here.

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Opinion: To prevent school shootings, can mental health be taught?

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Less than two weeks ago, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School senior Emma Gonzalez delivered what amounts to a post-millennial rebuke to every preceding American generation for failing to protect her and her peers. She spoke out against our overly permissive gun laws, the corporate interests that maintain them and the cultural affiliations that make many of us reluctant to accept change.