Students propose two excused mental-health days for BRHS; committee told of survey support

Three juniors from Bridgewater-Raynham High School presented a civics project during public comment on May 20 asking the school committee to adopt a policy granting high-school students two excused mental-health days per year.

The students (Heather Rogers, Carly Thompson and Kiara Lynn Ryan) said the proposal would let students prioritize emotional wellness, provide a simple streamlined process for excused absences, and help address what they characterized as a national youth mental-health crisis. They told the committee their district survey (more than 200 responses) found 72% of respondents supported excused mental-health days and 74% believed an excused day would be beneficial.

The students cited Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics and pointed out that several states allow excused mental-health days for students. They asked the committee to consider changing BR policy to excuse mental-health absences in parity with physical illness absences.

Committee response: The committee received the proposal during the public-comment period and did not take action at the May 20 meeting. Members thanked the students for the presentation and indicated the proposal would be referred into committee work and stakeholder discussions for further review.

Next steps: The committee did not schedule a formal vote; staff indicated public comments could be routed for consideration at future policy or wellness-advisory meetings. The students provided handouts summarizing their survey and the proposed process.

Representative quote: "Mental health days would provide students with opportunities for self-care, allowing them to prioritize their emotional wellness," the students told the committee.