AUSTIN, Texas -- It has been 60 years since the state mandated a public school health curriculum.
- Lawmaker pushes to add mental health to curriculum
- Gov. Abbott named mental health issues a priority
But now, one state lawmaker is calling for what she said is a long overdue update: adding mental health to the lesson plans.
The push comes in the wake of several school shootings, and after Gov. Greg Abbott named mental health issues a top priority. Even students are calling for the additional coursework.
High-school student Sofia Bird said teenagers today struggle with anxiety and depression, a lot of which is magnified by social media.
"A lot of it comes from comparing yourself to someone else, comparing your life to someone else's. And cyber-bullying is still a huge deal," said Bird.
Rep. Shawn Thierry, D-Houston, is proposing that all Texas public schools update their health curriculum to teach students how to recognize mental illness and address it in a healthy way.
"Students don't have coping mechanisms to effectively deal with the onslaught of the influence of all the cyber-bullying, as well as the rise of school violence," said Rep. Thierry.
Rep. Thierry expressed the need for more mental health resources in schools.
"The suicide rate in school-aged children has soared in recent years. By teaching them how to recognize the signs of when they may be in crisis, from the initial onset of depression, we can get them the help they need," said Thierry.
Other mental health-related bills this session include training for school employees and contracting with mental health professionals to work on school campuses.