New Legislation Could Allow for Mental Health Days for Students

A new legislation being proposed in Albany may allow all students in New York to be able to take days off from school in order to focus on their mental health. 

The topic of school districts providing “mental health days” for students has generated controversy around the country, but legislation is anticipated to be presented to New York State politicians. 

New York can follow suit of twelve states that have already enacted legislation allowing for mental health days in schools, some of which were passed after 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic compelled school districts all around the country to switch to remote learning.

“Kids, myself included, have suffered from the COVID pandemic,” said Derik Bazemore, 14, who attends Dodd Middle School in Freeport, “It has affected our mental health.”

Support across the country has accumulated for this type of legislation. According to a poll by Verywell Mind, a website focusing in health and wellness, 74% of parents believe schools should offer days off to focus on their behavioral needs. 56% of those parents also add that they already let their kids have mental health days. 

“I think mental health days could be extremely important, especially as they get into seventh and eighth grade,” said Bazemore’s mom, Noret, “The pressures change as they get up in the world.” 

However, some educators and parents believe that children already have enough vacation days during the school year and are concerned that these days might be used as permission for kids to play hooky. Other administrators don’t feel comfortable adding mental health days to their educational resources. 

“How would giving them a day off fix the situation? The student may just spend the day at the mall or on social media. How does that address the issue?” Baldwin superintendent Shari Camhi exclaimed. 

The debate between the support and opposition to legislating mental health days continues to go back and forth, but it may be settled based on the response to the legislation when lawmakers meet next month.