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This feels very much like mindfulness is trying to be used as a bandaid to cover the (metaphorical) sucking chest wound of student mental health. Schools can be

This feels very much like mindfulness is trying to be used as a bandaid to cover the (metaphorical) sucking chest wound of student mental health. Schools can be absolutely miserable places for many students. Bullying is rampant, both from students and staff, students are forced to be there, and have very little choice in how to spend their days. If we want to improve mental health in young people, look closely at how we run schools. Reduce class sizes, give students self determination. These aren’t easy steps though.

TaupeRanger 6y ago
Impossible in fact, without huge increases in funding for more teachers, larger buildings, and better pay.
njb311 6y ago
While I agree with your points, I’d reframe them slightly: it’s a sucking chest wound of teenage mental health. Schools are having to deal with young people who come to them with problems from outside. Schools can make them better or worse, but that’s loading a responsibility onto schools way beyond education. The fact that we are even having to consider non-traditional subjects/activities like mindfulness as a treatment to help kids get through the day, rather than to help prepare them for adult life, is a huge red flag. We can look closely at how we run schools, but where is the scrutiny on parenting? There is a ton of assessment of teachers and metrics on school performance (whether they are a good thing or not in improving outcomes is a different matter). Serious problems in the home are generally picked up by social services – and you could say that they function as a bandaid to cover the sucking chest wound of adult mental health - but straightforward poor parenting is far more widespread, how do we fix that? If we want to improve mental health in young people we need to look closely at how we run society. Schools could help, but only if they were adequately funded for everything they are being expected to deliver.
- sukilot 6y ago
  Schools are in loco parentis. Schools are parents. That's what day care is -- part time parenting. They should do their part, with appropriate staff and resources. Parents at home should be supported as well. But this all costs money that is being diverted to the military industrial complex and other graft.
  - njb311 6y ago
    No, schools are not parents. Acting in loco parentis means acting in the place of the parent while they aren’t there, not becoming the parent. It places a duty of care to safeguard the child and act in its best interests. It does not mean raising the child. It is the misguided attitude of some parents that somehow the school is responsible for parenting children that is probably half the problem. And yes, parents should have support. This used to come from much stronger, multigenerational family units. Where that isn’t the case, few would consider attending parenting classes even if they were available. But don’t get me wrong, I don’t think it’s necessarily just about that, as I said originally, I think adult mental wellbeing is a bigger problem than is generally recognised. Anxiety, aggression, apathy, these transfer from the parent to the child.
- text70 6y ago
  Lowering the GINI coefficient in a country would be a good start while maintaining or increasing GDP. An example of countries that have done this are Scandinavian countries. Historically, the GINI coefficient was much lower in the US post WWII, with increased GDP while keeping the GINI coefficient low through benefits conferred to GIs in homesteading, education, loans, and healthcare.
fish45 6y ago
I go (went?) to a very competitive STEM magnet school. We had 5 minutes of meditation at the start of class once a week. Sometimes it was nice, other times it was actively harmful. If there was a test we had to make up for lost time by staying in during lunch/passing time. Once our teacher was giving us last minute review before a test and she had to just talk over the broadcasted meditation instructions

TaupeRanger 6y ago

Impossible in fact, without huge increases in funding for more teachers, larger buildings, and better pay.

njb311 6y ago

While I agree with your points, I’d reframe them slightly: it’s a sucking chest wound of teenage mental health. Schools are having to deal with young people who come to them with problems from outside. Schools can make them better or worse, but that’s loading a responsibility onto schools way beyond education. The fact that we are even having to consider non-traditional subjects/activities like mindfulness as a treatment to help kids get through the day, rather than to help prepare them for adult life, is a huge red flag. We can look closely at how we run schools, but where is the scrutiny on parenting? There is a ton of assessment of teachers and metrics on school performance (whether they are a good thing or not in improving outcomes is a different matter). Serious problems in the home are generally picked up by social services – and you could say that they function as a bandaid to cover the sucking chest wound of adult mental health - but straightforward poor parenting is far more widespread, how do we fix that? If we want to improve mental health in young people we need to look closely at how we run society. Schools could help, but only if they were adequately funded for everything they are being expected to deliver.

sukilot 6y ago
Schools are in loco parentis. Schools are parents. That's what day care is -- part time parenting. They should do their part, with appropriate staff and resources. Parents at home should be supported as well. But this all costs money that is being diverted to the military industrial complex and other graft.
- njb311 6y ago
  No, schools are not parents. Acting in loco parentis means acting in the place of the parent while they aren’t there, not becoming the parent. It places a duty of care to safeguard the child and act in its best interests. It does not mean raising the child. It is the misguided attitude of some parents that somehow the school is responsible for parenting children that is probably half the problem. And yes, parents should have support. This used to come from much stronger, multigenerational family units. Where that isn’t the case, few would consider attending parenting classes even if they were available. But don’t get me wrong, I don’t think it’s necessarily just about that, as I said originally, I think adult mental wellbeing is a bigger problem than is generally recognised. Anxiety, aggression, apathy, these transfer from the parent to the child.
text70 6y ago
Lowering the GINI coefficient in a country would be a good start while maintaining or increasing GDP. An example of countries that have done this are Scandinavian countries. Historically, the GINI coefficient was much lower in the US post WWII, with increased GDP while keeping the GINI coefficient low through benefits conferred to GIs in homesteading, education, loans, and healthcare.

fish45 6y ago

I go (went?) to a very competitive STEM magnet school. We had 5 minutes of meditation at the start of class once a week. Sometimes it was nice, other times it was actively harmful. If there was a test we had to make up for lost time by staying in during lunch/passing time. Once our teacher was giving us last minute review before a test and she had to just talk over the broadcasted meditation instructions