Public Schooling Directly Correlates With Higher Youth Su*cide Rates

Attending less is better your mental health, who knew?

Think. It’s Not Illegal. Yet.

The fight for school choice remains ongoing, but we have the facts on our side. Over the years, allowing parents to determine where their children learn is repeatedly proven to be a net positive. This not only correlates with higher math and reading scores, but it’s also tied to higher pay for teachers. 

Amid ongoing teacher shortages throughout the United States, it’s imperative for our nation’s educators to be well taken care of. Teachers unions, despite claiming to care for educators, tend to rail against key initiatives that help those in non-public facilities. 

To date, school choice is so popular that even its greatest detractors embrace it behind the scenes. Over the years, various leaders of teachers unions have been repeatedly exposed for sending their own kids to private schools. 

They ensure their children receive the best education, despite deriding these institutions when the cameras are rolling. The actions of these officials speaks volumes and it proves that even they want access to school choice. Though the right to have one’s education not confined to their zip code shouldn’t only be available to the elite.

In fact, yet another critical piece of data speaks to the major risks forcing kids into public schools. 

The Youth Suicide Rates Speak Volumes

In October, the public became aware of a 2019 study that reviews mental health emergency visits among the youth. Per the findings, suicides and attempts of suicide see major declines during the holidays, summer season, and the very start of a school year. What all of these periods share in common is that they are moments when children are not in public schools. 

This shouldn’t be all that shocking, though. Over the years, we’ve all heard about the failures of public schools, along with the adverse impacts they’re having on the youth. Many young people are struggling with mental health, isolation, and finding a sense of purpose. Unfortunately, subpar public schools have a tendency to exacerbate these issues. 

In real time, parents are seeing this not just on a data chart, but also in the lives of their kids. This is why so many are voting for school choice amendments and fighting for access to charter schools. 

Teachers’ unions don't want this. They want to keep children in less than optimal public facilities, despite the adverse impacts. To this very day, the teachers’ unions have yet to provide a reasonable explanation for youth suicide rates directly correlating with public schools attendance.