Letter to the Editor: Mental Health Days for Schoolkids

To the Editor:

Regarding mental health days for schoolkids: I have to figure this would mean more days off for teachers, too? 

While I am aware we have mental health issues due to the stressful lives we lead, more days off does not lead to a productive approach to resolving the issues. More days ON for resolution teaching and treatment would be more appropriate!

Didn’t anyone ever hear about teaching people to fish, rather than just giving them more food?

I am a child from World War II. While I did not get to participate, I grew up during the ramifications of the aftermath of war. In the almost 80 years since then, I have been through multiple economic booms and recessions and have experienced many governments. None of these governments have embraced the concept of teaching people to fish for themselves. Until our governments understand we have to help all our people to be more self-sufficient in every way possible, we will continue to literally throw away an ever-burgeoning, disproportionate amount of our national wealth by teaching people that government support is here for anyone who does not want to “fish” for themselves!

If we lessen the burden of supporting the non-producing people by simply having more people produce, then maybe we can repay our ever-growing national debt! It’s simple economics!

 

Patrick A. Curtis, M.B.A.