that aside from taking medication, there isn’t much
as no surprise that mental disorders such as anxiety
a student with a disorder can do to make the situa-
and depression have become an epidemic in the vast
tion better and it isn’t fair of teachers or the school
majority of schools. Nevertheless, many schools con-
board to expect them to learn or perform in the same
tinue treating mental health issues as if some foreign,
way as a neurotypical student. To simply pat ourselves
abstract concept that doesn’t affect their students
on the back and look with poorly concealed pity by
whatsoever, while others make token efforts with-
giving them extra times or a keyboard for the exact
out addressing the negative stigma that arises within
same tests is hypocrisy and ignorance: recognizing
the school and wider community. The detachment to
that these individuals are challenged yet refusing to
such a relevant problem simply reinforces this culture
allow them to be measured by anything other than the
of ignorance and apathy about the subject.
standards set by the norm. While there are too many complex issues at play for Nowadays, schools that care more about results than
there to be an immediate, universal solution, the first
students’ mental health is far from an overused film
step is for schools to acknowledge, value, and treat
trope. The desire of many parents to send their chil-
children not as statistics on a report, but as individ-
dren to band 1 schools has often resulted in excessive
uals. Individuals whose worth goes beyond what a
pressure on students to go beyond basic success. To
dashboard of grade percentages, unproven personal-
attract students and funding, many schools prioritise
ity tests and list of award certificates can show. Indi-
grades and facilitate unhealthy or destructive behav-
viduals who will shape the future but cannot do so if
iour, such as severe lack of sleep or eating unhealthi-
the things that make them different and special are
ly, all for the sake of retaining the school’s image and
eradicated or punished. Individuals who should have
boosting the grade averages. Trying to achieve this
their dreams and hopes nourished and cherished, not
utopian ideal of “perfection” has become an insatiable
ruthlessly ironed out until nothing but despair and a
addiction marked by an overuse of quantifiable met-
single-tracked mind to become yet another faceless
rics and indifference towards attributes such as mo-
cog in the economic machine is left. A school should
rality, character and personality that make up a good
be a place to encourage the natural human desire to
person. Countless studies and statistics show that stu-
learn and create as opposed to suppressing it with
dents in this day and age are under more pressure than
hostility and apathy.
ever before to manage the impossible, thus it comes
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