By Jeanni Ritchie
World Mental Health Day is an international day for global mental health education, awareness, and advocacy against social stigma.
It was first celebrated in 1992 at the initiative of the World Federation for Mental Health, a global mental health organization with members and contacts in more than 150 countries. On October 10, thousands of supporters come to celebrate this annual awareness program to bring attention to mental illness and its major effects on people’s lives worldwide.
The 2024 theme is “It is time to prioritize mental health in the workplace.”
Self-identifying on LinkedIn (ID for Equity) is to voluntarily disclose one’s diversity as well as any mental health diagnoses. Often a double-edged sword, employees have debated the results as lending toward a healthier boss/worker dynamic vs. unfairly targeting yourself.
I’ve discovered both sides of that coin myself. It is helpful to explain my need for multiple projects simultaneously to combat ADHD tendencies. Explaining my work process helps employers understand why I do what I do, often not in the linear pattern they are used to.
But I’ve also had employers who would prefer to drive cattle than worry about Ferdinand off smelling the roses, no matter how special Ferdinand was. Explaining sounds like excusing and they were ill-equipped to handle differentiation in the workplace.
A person trying to prioritize their mental health in the workplace must constantly assess if doing so will help or harm them in the long run.
It shouldn’t be this way.
I’ve taught in districts where taking mental health days was encouraged. I’ve also taught in districts where it was considered weak.
In Eileen Washburn’s case it was considered terminable. The Ohio teacher took two days of sick leave this past February and when it was revealed that she’d gone to Nashville to attend a concert during those days, the school board terminated her for falsifying sick leave. The action caused the story to go viral with many, myself included, believing that mental health days should are a part of sick leave and thus should not be judged or prosecuted by employers.
I reached out to the Lakota School District for a comment last April on the inclusion of mental health days in a teacher’s guaranteed sick day leave per year. There was no response.
Washburn filed an appeal and has had two postponed hearing dates. Our last conversation was in August and she was still waiting on her hearing after what she calls a great injustice.
On her public GoFundMe page Washburn states, “Despite my unwavering commitment to my students and my passion for teaching, I have been unjustly targeted, wrongfully accused, and have had protected information shared publicly. Recent controversy surrounding my termination after false allegations of misconduct has not only tarnished my reputation but also threatened my career and well-being.”
Skeptics believe there is more to the story and that Washburn is unfairly calling foul. It is precisely this victim-shaming mentality that perpetuates stigma and keeps people silent.
But Washburn stands up for herself. “Throughout my nearly two-decade career, I have consistently received positive and commendable evaluations, never being the subject of disciplinary action or concern.”
One can only hope the Lakota School District, as well as other school districts and business employers, will take this year’s motto to heart and prioritize mental health in the workplace.
