PITTSBURGH — Many students across our region were off Friday due to the inclement weather. But what if students could take a day off just to recharge or rest and call it a mental health day?
If recently proposed legislation is passed, they will able to do just that.
Earlier this week the House education committee voted to advance a bill that would allow students to take up to three mental health days without a doctor’s excuse.
In a recent survey conducted by the Pennsylvania School Board Association, school leaders said that mental health was their biggest challenge.
Bill supporters cited a 2021 state survey conducted with students in grades six, eight, 10, and 12 that revealed one in 10 students reported feeling sad on most days and that one in five seriously considered suicide.
Some lawmakers disagreed and voted against the bill, stating that many schools already don’t require a doctor’s notice for missed days so the legislation is unnecessary. Others say missing classes won’t address mental health.
The bill will now advance to the full chamber for members to vote.
If passed, Pennsylvania will become one of about a dozen states that offer mental health days for students.
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