With the US presidential election just around the corner, one school has caused a stir on social media for allowing "distressed" students to take the day off amid the fallout.
In a rather unconventional move, the Ethical Culture Fieldston School in New York City has decided that students can skip classes the day after the presidential election if they're feeling too "emotionally distressed" by the results, per NBC15.
This decision was revealed through an email sent to families, as reported by The New York Times.
The school recognizes that the election period may be a highly charged emotional time, allowing students from pre-K through twelfth grade who feel unable to "fully engage" in classwork to take the day off without penalty.
To further support its students, the school will not assign homework on Election Day and plans to have psychologists available for counseling.
Addressing the mental health of students around such a contentious event, the school aims to provide a supportive environment, regardless of the election's outcome, as stated by principal Stacey Bobo.
The initiative also includes educational resources on discussing the election with children and managing election-related anxiety.
This sentiment is echoed in a recent poll by the American Psychological Association, which found that nearly 70% of adults consider the election a significant source of stress.
Arthur Evans Jr., APA CEO, highlighted the need for hope and unity in these divisive times.
"Stress surrounding the upcoming election seems overwhelming," Evans Jr. said. "But despite concerns about a nation divided across cultural identities and political parties, it’s encouraging that hope could be the catalyst, where people can come together and have a stake in deciding their future."
However, not everybody has looked at the school's decision favorably.
A trending social media post sharing the news amassed thousands of comments from critics, with many people criticizing the younger generation.
"Y’all all creating the weakest generation since the dawn of men," one person commented on the post.
"Teaching kids to be hella soft," a second person added. "Keep moving and bettering your life no matter who wins. Control what you can control."
A third bluntly typed: "Soft a** generation".
Meanwhile, a fourth harshly wrote: "Enabling students to melt down and cry when they don’t get their way makes weak gutless adults."
As the debate over the best way to handle election stress in schools continues, Fieldston's policy stands as a testament to the growing recognition of mental health needs in educational settings.
But what are your thoughts on the matter? Let us know in the comments.