As National Suicide Prevention Month draws to a close, we want to offer one more reminder: This year, especially, it’s critical to encourage students and colleagues to talk about mental health and reach out for support when it’s needed. We hope these resources help.
As journalist and educator Anthony Conwright argues in the Fall 2022 issue of Learning for Justice magazine, “Trauma-informed and restorative justice practices are among the beginning models of an equity process to disrupt the school-to-prison pipeline. And while systemic change is essential, educators have an immediate responsibility to prioritize the mental health and well-being of students.”
National Suicide Prevention Week is September 8-14. And while educators can’t—and shouldn’t—act as mental health professionals, they can advocate for students. They can help create schools and communities where all children know they’re valued and loved and where support is available if students find themselves in crisis. We hope these resources will help.
This week, we were disappointed to see wide circulation of the videos showing Ahmaud Arbery's and Sean Reed's shooting deaths. Educators have a responsibility to engage with students about this violence against Black men—and the white supremacist systems that allow it to continue. But they must do so without re-traumatizing Black students and with extra care for their mental health. These resources can help.
