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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2023 - 2024
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | December 29, 2023 04:04 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative G. Roni Green |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Teaching Mindfulness in Schools |
| According to the National Institutes of Health, an estimated one in five children struggle with anxiety. In the short term, chronic anxiety can result in a variety of behavioral problems and reduce a child’s ability to focus. Long term, anxiety can have lifelong impacts on a developing child and potentially lead to lasting mood disorders. A proven method to counteract the influence of stressors and the long-term effects of anxiety is the practice of mindfulness, which the Mayo Clinic defines as “a type of meditation in which you focus on being intensely aware of what you're sensing and feeling in the moment, without interpretation or judgment.” As schools across the country continue to reckon with the lasting impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on students, many are adopting school-based mindfulness programs (SBMPs) that offer students and staff the opportunity to learn techniques to mitigate the effects of anxiety and prevent long-term negative effects on academic progress and emotional development. Studies have shown that SBMPs help students pay attention in class and reduce the likeliness they will experience stress and anxiety. My legislation would require schools to provide mindfulness instruction in K-12 classrooms for at least 15 minutes each school day and additionally direct the Department of Education to develop materials and policies for the teaching of mindfulness. Please join me in sponsoring this legislation to help our children grow and succeed. |
Introduced as HB2006