Nov 14, 2017, Barrie Examiner, Ontario: Students facing physical and mental health issue http://www.thebarrieexaminer.com/2017/11/14/students-facing-physical-and-mental-health-issue The transition for youth heading into high school has never been more difficult. According to the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit, one in four students in high school feel they have fair to poor mental health, almost double the rate while they are in grades 7 and 8. The statistics come from an Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey conducted in 2015…. “This is the first time we have been able to get a comprehensive picture of local youth health,” said Dr. Lisa Simon, associate medical officer of health with the health unit. “We know that the adolescent years are tough ones, but there are some situations here that are particularly striking, and pose a long-term risk to their health.” Student stress levels rise once they enter secondary school, she added. …
Childhood Lost
Children today are noticeably different from previous generations, and the proof is in the news coverage we see every day. This site shows you what’s happening in schools around the world. Children are increasingly disabled and chronically ill, and the education system has to accommodate them. Things we've long associated with autism, like sensory issues, repetitive behaviors, anxiety and lack of social skills, are now problems affecting mainstream students. Blame is predictably placed on bad parenting (otherwise known as trauma from home).
Addressing mental health needs is as important as academics for modern educators. This is an unrecognized disaster. The stories here are about children who can’t learn or behave like children have always been expected to. What childhood has become is a chilling portent for the future of mankind.