As part of a series of articles starting with this one, instead of repeating the same tropes and doing exactly nothing useful, how about we take on yet another issue that should be able to fly through our governments legislative body?
According to the ASCA, the ideal ratio for school counselors to students is 1 in 250. According to The Violence Project: How to stop a Mass Shooting Epidemic, 500,000 psychologists deployed as counselors into every school would be a HUGE step in the right direction. For about $35 billion dollars.
So let’s push for Federal funds to provide additional school counselors for every school district in the country to get the ratio to a maximum of 1 councilor for every 250 students. Emotional and mental health support for our kids with engaged and not overworked and overstressed staff will help to ensure that they get the proactive help they need, rather than just having the counselors react to situations that are blowing up.
Right now the ratio is 1 for every 455, but that’s also heavily weighted towards high school, and specifically towards college/job placement programs, not towards the emotional and mental well being of our kids.
Republicans say mental health is a big driver of these events. Dems want to do something to make an impact. Let’s get this funded and done so we can make an actual difference.
Oh, and read The Violence Project Book. There are some terrific recommendations included based on actual research. Some of it we may disagree with, like anything, but it’s evidence based solutions, which we’ve been advocating for since we started.