Last night Nashua Board of Education President Heather Raymond chastised board members not to suggest that there could be any causal link between the isolation of “remote” learning and student suicides.
Related: The Other NH ‘Body Count’ – Suicide Calls Spike “At a Rate We’ve Not Seen Before”
Board member Paula Johnson had just expressed concern for the mental health of students, who have been trapped in “remote” learning for almost a year.
President Raymond stated that there have not been any studies on the topic of student suicide and “remote” learning. Therefore, mentioning student suicide does not move the board’s agenda forward, which she explained is the best the district can do.
The district must simply follow the accepted “science” according to the local board of health and not attempt to independently consider any other evidence.
- A New Hampshire student who was learning “remotely”: Community Grieves Suicide Of Mont Vernon 7th-Grader
- A Maine student who was learning “remotely”: Maine father says remote learning isolation to blame for teen’s death amid pandemic.
- Nearly 20 students in Las Vegas who were learning “remotely”: Las Vegas schools are pushing to reopen after nearly 20 student suicides were blamed on “isolation of remote learning” during the Covid-19 pandemic.
There was absolutely no compassion from President Raymond for students, who are suffering mental health issues due to the forced isolation over the past year. Students have been unable to see their friends, participate in sports, or take part in other school activities. Sadly, some students and families have had to deal with the suicide of a friend or loved one.
Related: COVID19 Could Be To Blame for an Additional 440 Deaths in NH?
According to Psychology Today: America Is Facing a Teen Suicide Pandemic with suicide rates up 60% over the last 20 years. This was even before the outbreak of Covid and “remote” learning. Isn’t is only reasonable to consider the mental health of students?
Yet, Nashua Board of Education President Heather Raymond suggested that discussing suicide by students in “remote” learning was totally inappropriate. President Raymond essentially claimed that Board member Johnson’s concern regarding mental health was “fear-mongering.”
