Hot Takes ≠ Helpful Info: Panic Spreads Faster Than Policy

Feeling Public Education Chaos Fatigue? Two Skills Every Parent and Educator Can Use to Stay Grounded and Cut Through the Noise.

There’s a lot of uncertainty at the national, state, and local levels when it comes to education policy; there’s even more anxiety when students with disabilities who receive support through Section 504 or Special Education are involved.

When The News Feels Like a Threat to Your Child: Two Skills to Stay Grounded

Lately, we’ve heard from panicked parents and worried educators. It’s understandable, these are high-stakes issues.

But consider this: when adults spiral, kids do too, especially those with disabilities. Children of all ages often take their emotional cues from the grown-ups around them. That’s why it’s so important for us to stay grounded and model regulation, even when things feel uncertain.

That includes how we respond to headlines, political rhetoric, and social media posts. Not everything going viral is accurate. Not everyone sharing opinions is an expert. And not every policy change means catastrophe for your child.

Our children and students are watching how we respond to the unknown. This is a powerful opportunity to model what it looks like to stay engaged and grounded. Concerned, but calm. Curious, yet discerning.

Easier said than done? Absolutely. But at Accessible Education, we lean on tools that help us stay steady, especially when the news feels overwhelming. Two DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) skills we often turn to when navigating emotionally charged education topics are Check the Facts and Radical Acceptance. You can try them too:

Before reacting, reposting, or spiraling ask:

• What do I actually know to be true?

• Is this a verified fact or just someone’s opinion or interpretation? (and remember, someone saying “it’s a fact” doesn’t make it so - find source documents when you can).

• Is my emotional response in proportion to the facts, or am I filling in gaps with assumptions or fear?

This helps us avoid reacting to rumors or worst-case scenarios so that we stay rooted in reality.

Sometimes what’s happening in education or politics is hard to stomach. That’s valid. Radical Acceptance doesn’t mean we agree or approve. It simply means acknowledging reality as it is, so we can respond wisely, rather than reacting impulsively or emotionally fighting what we cannot immediately change. Panic isn't a plan! Let's model the resilience we want to see in our children and our students.