School board approves mental health help

Mar. 10—CUMBERLAND — One after another, tears followed more tears as moms talked of their children's depression and family financial hardships, and begged the Allegany County education board to return students to school full-time.

While COVID-19 vaccinations increase and disease case rates fall across the county, projected school schedules for the near future are complicated by six-feet social distancing safety guidelines that impact classrooms and school buses, and a big unknown regarding how many parents will keep their kids in a virtual learning environment.

But among the confusion, two big factors within Allegany County Public Schools are definite, board member Deb Frank said.

COVID-19 simultaneously increased awareness of the mental health problem identified in the school system years ago, and created a substantial multi-million dollar fund balance, she said and asked for a fraction of that money to be reserved in the working budget for counseling to help students and staff that are suffering.

"We are in one of the highest poverty, highest opioid using, cycle of poverty regions in this country," Frank said. "When you have $30 million and I'm asking for $400,000 ... I think it's a very wise use of this money."

All board members except David Bohn voted to approve the 2022 Superintendent's Operating Budget with Frank's amendment.

Emotional requests

Stephanie Furstenberg's voice quivered when she talked of her three children that were bright, motivated and loved school before being isolated in a virtual learning environment.

"It breaks my heart," Furstenberg said and asked the board to return students to school full-time. "I'm very emotional."

Misti Williams was teary as she talked of her children that want to return to a pre-COVID-19 schedule at Fort Hill High School.

"Five full days a week needs to happen ASAP," she said. "Give these kids back their lives. They have suffered long enough."

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