America’s teachers are resigning en masse, exacerbating the country’s youth mental health crisis. 

America’s teachers are resigning en masse, exacerbating the country’s youth mental health crisis. Between February 2020 and May 2022, more than 300K educators resigned in the U.S. citing concerns over safety, burnout, and low pay, among other reasons. While these continued aftershocks of the Great Resignation aren’t surprising, the timing couldn’t be worse: American children and teens are in the midst of a major increase in mental health challenges, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the loss of educators means the gaps in critical youth support have widened. Mental health has long been a struggle for Gen Z, who are known as the most stressed-out generation to date. YPulse’s Mental Health data shows that three-quarters of 13-21-year-olds have experienced burnout in the past year, and the majority say they’re constantly stressed. Meanwhile, Millennial parents are worried about the mental health of their Gen Alpha kids, making resources—and educators—to support young peoples’ mental health all the more vital. (Slate)