Blog

Nov 03, 2024

NYC private school will let 'distressed' students skip day after election, report says

A New York City private school said Thursday that students can skip classes the day after the presidential election if they feel too “emotionally distressed,” according to The New York Times. The

A New York City private school said Thursday that students can skip classes the day after the presidential election if they feel too “emotionally distressed,” according to The New York Times.

The Ethical Culture Fieldston School reportedly wrote in an email to families that it can excuse those students from classes whenever Election Day results are announced, noting it “may be a high-stakes and emotional time for our community.”

Students in the pre-K through twelfth grade school who say they can’t “fully engage” in class can skip without missing any assessments, The New York Times wrote. Teachers will also not assign any homework on Election Day, according to the report.

The New York Times added that the school plans to make psychologists available for counseling.

“No matter the election outcome," the school “will create space to provide students with the support they may need," principal Stacey Bobo reportedly said

The email also included reading materials about children and the election, according to the newspaper. One discussed speaking to children about the election and helping those who feel anxiety related to it, The New York Times said.

Comedian Jerry Seinfeld, whose two sons attended the school, reportedly told the newspaper decisions like the one at issue led one of his children to transfer.

“This is why the kids hated it,” Seinfeld was quoted as saying. “What kinds of lives have these people led that makes them think that this is the right way to handle young people? To encourage them to buckle. This is the lesson they are providing, for ungodly sums of money.”

Nearly 7 in 10 adults said in an American Psychological Association (APA) poll published last week that the election is a significant source of stress in their lives, according to the organization.

“Stress surrounding the upcoming election seems overwhelming,” APA CEO Arthur Evans Jr. said. “But despite concerns about a nation divided across cultural identities and political parties, it’s encouraging that hope could be the catalyst, where people can come together and have a stake in deciding their future.”

The Ethical Culture Fieldston School did not respond to a request for comment from The National News Desk.

Have questions, concerns or tips? Send them to Ray at [email protected].