COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — A bill in the Maryland state Legislature would grant school students excused absences for mental health reasons.
Under the proposed law, students would be allowed to skip school once every quarter — without needing a doctor’s note.
Sponsored by Del. Alonzo Washington D-Prince George’s, the legislation aims to alleviate mental health problems exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Washington voiced concerns regarding the general mental health of students across Maryland.
He noted that 70 percent of teens admit to experiencing anxiety and depression, that 1 in 6 say they have considered suicide.
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