Public schools today have flipped the once-rare interventions into students’ mental health into a terrifying new wave of government-mandated health screenings, often carried out without full parental knowledge or consent. Our Education Reporter has long covered how school districts, through counselors and administrators, are increasingly involved in students’ inner lives, whether help is needed or desired, and frequently with little transparency.
According to AbleChild, a parents’ rights group, about one in three U.S. schools now require mental health checks—even though only New Jersey (and soon Illinois) has laws that formally mandate this. Many parents are unsure whether they are notified ahead of these screenings or have the ability to opt out. In a study of over 1,000 school principals, 30.5% reported that their districts mandate student mental health screening. Most schools say they inform parents if a child is identified as suffering from depression or anxiety. Over 70% offer in-school treatment, and over half refer kids to community mental health providers. But gaps remain: what questions are asked, how responses are evaluated—and whether parents are consulted in advance.
Advocates like AbleChild argue the behavioral health, psychiatric, and pharmaceutical industries are pushing schools to become their agents. Sheila Matthews and Patty Weathers, co-founders of AbleChild, say their concern is that children are being labeled and drugged without sufficient evidence or parental consent. Under these mandates, tools selected by state authorities often dictate how screenings are done, and opt-out policies are weak or burdensome. States like New Jersey already require annual depression screenings in grades 7-12. Illinois will require screenings for grades 3-12 starting in 2027-28. Many other states are reportedly considering similar laws.
Important warnings are coming from conservative voices: Illinois State Rep. Adam Niemerg and author Abigail Shrier argue SB 1560 threatens parental rights and risks pushing children into a “mental health funnel” with false diagnoses. AbleChild criticizes the “opt-out” model that is increasingly standard; in their view, this places governmental authority over parental liberty.
If your state is considering such mandates, it may be time to raise your voice. Read proposed laws. Ask whether parental consent is respected. And make sure the liberty your family inherited is defended.
Phyllis Schlafly spoke and wrote often about the frightening things that happen behind the closed doors of public schools. We would love to send you a free copy of Phyllis’s book Child Abuse in the Classroom. Just email us at info@phyllisschlafly.com, call 314-721-1213, or contact us through PhyllisSchlafly.com to request your free copy! Thank you and join us again for the Phyllis Schlafly Report.
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Phyllis Schlafly