OPINION: ‘Anxiety and depression among students have become central issues, and not all young people are affected equally’
The coronavirus's disproportionate effect on Black, Latino and Native American communities
The coronavirus pandemic has upended the American education system at all levels, and it is taking a serious toll on student mental health and well-being.
A recent survey from Active Minds, a mental health nonprofit, found that 80 percent of the high school and college students surveyed are having difficulty concentrating. Nearly half are facing financial challenges, with unemployment, financial aid and successful distance learning among the concerns of young people.
Anxiety and depression among students have become central issues, and not all young people are affected equally.
Because of the coronavirus’s disproportionate effect on Black, Latino, Native American and low-income communities, young people of color are likely to experience an uneven share of new burdens and financial pressures, as well as worry, grief and loss at home. This situation merits immediate attention and action.
According to an NPR/PBS Newshour/Marist national poll in April, 60 percent of respondents who identified as non-white said they or someone in their household lost work hours or a job due to the pandemic, compared to 43 percent of white respondents. This additional financial strain may make attending college unrealistic for many.
A Gates Foundation survey of parents in May found that for about 60 percent of Black and Latino high school students, the Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted their postsecondary plans, compared with 43 percent of white high school students. (The Gates Foundation is among the many funders of The Hechinger Report.) CONTINUE READING: Anxiety, depression hit students in underrepresented groups
