The US education system is designed to help students gain knowledge and to facilitate their love for learning. In order to do so, faculty are onboarded to support students and to assist them in any way necessary within a classroom setting. While it is important to focus on student well-being and to ensure the learning environment is up to par, there is often oversight surrounding teachers' welfare.

Teachers and staff have reported burnout, depression, and high levels of stress. However, support is often unavailable or inadequate. Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic intensified these symptoms due to heavy workloads in a new environment. The role of staff went beyond just teaching, as it required them to take on a caregiver role in each student’s life. With this overwhelming task and lack of resources, staff are overburdened and unable to care for themselves in addition to caring for their students. 

Since there is a lack of autonomy over educators’ work-life balances, teachers are subject to the grace of school administrators. This dependency on administrators can be extremely tiresome and harmful, explaining why around 50% of educators report burnout. Compared to the average adult, teachers are three times as likely to experience symptoms of depression symptoms of depression. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many issues concerning teachers’ job requirements were exposed and even exacerbated. The return to in-person learning presented new challenges for teachers, as they experienced more emotional labor from students since children wanted people with whom they could talk. With many schools lacking a sufficient number of counselors to support the student body, teachers were forced to take on additional work that was outside their job description, thereby worsening the problem. 

In order to combat the mental health issues staff are facing, school districts should provide mindfulness-based training programs that teach educators how to balance their job with their personal lives. It is important to help them create boundaries between work and personal life, so the burden of being caregivers does not jeopardize their health. With the number of qualified teachers decreasing all over the country, it is important to prioritize the well-being of today’s teachers, as many are looking to leave the workforce because of the difficult conditions. With education being the backbone of society, educators enable the development of our world and need to be a prioritized group. 

Through federal relief money, teachers can receive mental health support. Additionally, the benefits that teachers receive can be expanded to cover therapist visits to ensure their mental health is being taken care of. While there may be initial pushback against using taxpayer money for mental health efforts, it is important to recognize the societal benefits that come from making sure teachers are mentally stable. Highlighting current issues that are being discussed amongst parents and administrators within districts is crucial in gaining the financial backing for teachers. A concern shared by many Americans is school safety, and by enabling teachers to take care of themselves, educators will have the ability to extend protection to children within their classrooms. If teachers are withdrawn due to their experiencing depression, then the connections between them and their students decline. When teachers and students are more connected, it fosters a safer environment for the children, as the teachers will be more invested and therefore have the potential to recognize issues a student might be facing such as child neglect or abuse. 

As the desire to become a teacher continues to decline with the new generation, it is important to support those that are currently teachers, for they are experiencing heavier workloads than ever before due to the lack of sufficient teachers. Through well-being programs and access to adequate mental health care, the entire education system can become beneficial for all parties involved. Additionally, added benefits to the job description of educators can incentivise individuals to pursue the track of becoming a teacher. The benefits to implementing well-being programs and mental care for teachers is substantial, as it can increase child safety, unburden the current educator population, and create an increase in teacher job demand.