A worrying trend is emerging in schools across the country. With increasing regularity, school districts are tracking students' mental health and raising flags if a screening shows something amiss.

Sacrificing Freedom for Perceived Safety

Student mental health tracking is often framed in terms of safety or prevention—that all kids should be screened to identify the few who could potentially serve as a danger to themselves or others. Last week, NPR reported that in Florida, all students who registered for public school this fall were required to disclose their mental health history. Has the child ever seen a therapist? That information must be revealed as a condition of school registration.