Mental Health is needed at CASD

We put out a call for submission for our followers on social media. We had several students who contacted us and said they were interested. We then let them tell us the topic they would like to write about and let them write. We are excited by not only their passion and enthusiasm for CASD, but their willingness to be a part of the solution by using their voices! 

During the leadership of Dr. Taschner, many supports that were in place have been reduced or eliminated. One such support is mental heath services. The following article by Wried Betzel, a sophomore, reveals that the lack of services are felt by the most important people in our district- the students.

School is a great place to find your passion and what you want to do in life. It’s where you first learn to make friends and overcome obstacles. However, sometimes it is very difficult for some. Many students have difficulty trying to pay attention, remember what a teacher said, or even keep a smile. Some students, including me, have some sort mental illness that makes it hard for them to learn.

School goes on throughout all of the teenage years, which some may describe as a difficult time to go through because of all the emotions you can go through. This is why I feel like we need to make school a better place for people with mental illnesses so they can feel safe and feel like themselves.

Mental illnesses can range from anxiety, depression, insomnia, dysphoria, and many others. Not one illness is the same person to person, and that’s why we need to spend more time focusing on how we can improve the way we handle these problems for students.

There are a couple ways of improving how we handle mental illnesses at school. These are going to mostly pertain to Coatesville High School, but they can go for other schools as well. We could train teachers on how to handle a situation where they need to help a student respectfully and make them feel better. This would help a student calm down before they are sent to guidance which will make them able to talk to them better. Another way is bringing back peer meditation. From my experience the counselors were really kind and helped me out, but some students may feel more comfortable around another student or even a friend. This would give them a person they can relate to and help them explain how they feel.

My experience throughout 2018-2019 school year was different then any of my other years. For most of my years in school I got along with the teachers and staff, and I wouldn’t be the first to say I was labled as a teachers pet. Although my first year of high school was the first time I had teachers I felt actually did not like me, it didn't help that I was struggling with my own problems at the same time. I would be distressed or have my head down but many of the teachers and staff wouldn't notice. I would walk down the halls with my hat on having tears roll down my face with my head down but many of the teachers and staff wouldn't know. All they would notice was the hat. I had the lowest grades I’ve ever had and I nearly failed the year.

It was because I felt so overwhelmed and didn't know who to look for or didn't want to find anyone to help me, because I felt ashamed of who I was. That’s why we need to help people who feel the same. We need to let them know that it’s normal, and they can get help.