LETTER: Schools need to focus more on mental health of students

To Ozaukee Press:

While the Aug. 30 emergency Grafton School Board meeting’s focus was on the issue of mask mandates for various grades, another important issue was raised by several parents: the current state of the mental health of students due to the pandemic.             

Several parents who were against mask rules shared stories of their children’s mental health being deeply affected by having to wear face coverings. One father mentioned how it took his family a long time to even get an appointment for his child regarding mental health. Another man, overcome with emotions, broke down during public comments on this topic and left the meeting altogether.

Our children had virtual classes for a full year and, yes, it caused a significant amount of anxiety and depression for both of them because they could not be around their peers. Our family, too, had a terribly hard time scheduling appointments to get them help.

While I may not agree with one aspect of what those parents were fighting for, I certainly heard an outcry and I hope school board members did as well. The Grafton School District should not overlook the urgent need to boost mental health resources and make parents more aware of them.

encourage the school district to make counselors available for children to speak to, specifically regarding what they have endured because of Covid-19. There are plenty of resources within our own community that the school district should either utilize itself or provide better communication about county resources for district families.

The local non-profit Ozaukee Family Services has a variety of programs for counseling families and children. One of their best tools is the parent education and support workshops they conduct monthly.

I implore the school district to share OFS resources in the school newsletter. Don’t bury it at the bottom of the monthly email; place it at the top to let folks know the district is not only listening to families, but hearing them as well regarding masks and mental health.

Our school district is known for leading the way in educational advances and excellence. Student’s mental health should fall under the public health umbrella, and just as it is the district’s responsibility to keep children’s physical health as safe as possible during this pandemic, mental health should be as equally important to the district staff and members of the School Board. This is another opportunity for the Grafton School District to prove it cares about every student, every day.

Sarah McCraw
Grafton