It’s All Down to the Schools!

Yesterday evening a group of us were talking about mental health issues… those who suffer with anxiety and depression… how we cope with it, how we help and support friends…

The discussion turned suicide, to ‘3 Dads Walking’… Three fathers, Tim, Andy and Mike, who each lost a daughter to suicide, were first in the news in 2021, raising awareness that suicide was the biggest killer of under-35s.

Campaigning that suicide prevention to be taught in schools, they were delighted with last week’s announcement that lessons discussing suicide prevention would be compulsory in secondary schools from September 2026… in an ‘age-appropriate way’.

When I started teaching ‘sex education’ arrived on the school curriculum… starting with biology… then including sexually transmitted diseases… then love, morals and religion… and schools should then reduce teenage pregnancies!

Then… we had to include drugs education to combat teenage addictions… teach a multi-faith approach to religion, to enable greater cultural understanding… More recently there’s been the controversial legislation about schools, sexual orientation and gender identity…

Experts and enthusiasts argue that schools ‘must’ teach budget management, basic cooking, national pride, parenting skills, self-defence, political awareness, Christian faith… whilst providing an excellent basic education in English, maths, science and the other standard curriculum subjects…

The old African saying reminds us: ‘It takes a village to raise a child’… Parents and school are part of that village, but so are friends, extended family, neighbours…

In many church traditions young children are christened or dedicated. As part of the service the church community are asked to promise to support the child and family with love, guidance, and encouragement. They’re then invited to respond affirmatively, recognizing their role in the child’s physical, social and spiritual upbringing.

 Musing this morning. I’m…

…delighted that Tim, Andy and Mike continue to raise suicide-awareness.

…concerned about the ever-increasing burden placed on schools.

…reminded of the value and importance of community life for all young people.

…reflecting on the responsibility I have to the children and young people I know.