News Update

Thurmond says California students struggling with impact of coronavirus restrictions, racism will need mental health help

California Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond called on mental health organizations to help fill counseling gaps in schools in order to meet the needs of students impacted by the coronavirus pandemic and racism during a virtual press conference Wednesday.

Thurmond initially announced the campaign Monday. A coalition of mental health organizations, including the California Association of School Counselors, California Association of School Psychologists and the California Alliance of Child and Family Services, have joined the effort. Wednesday, he asked for more help.

“We know that when students return to campus they will have needs for additional support because of the impacts of Covid-19 and because, quite frankly, everything is different than what they have experienced,” Thurmond said. “Being at school with a mask on, being at school where social distancing is the order of the day, we know has its impacts on students. We also know that our students have experienced trauma related to the death of George Floyd and issues around police brutality, issues around race and racism, and issues around bias.”

The need is great. More than 270,000 California students are homeless, many because of the coronavirus pandemic, Thurmond said. Others haven’t checked in online with their schools because they have moved or are trying to help their families financially.

The call to action was one of many made by Thurmond in the last few weeks, including a request to companies and individual donors to provide computers and internet connections to students and a call to state and federal lawmakers for more funding for California schools.

For more information about the effort or to volunteer email Mentalhealth@cde.ca.gov.