Parents in schools from Texas to Virginia and Indiana are pushing back against the teaching of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) in schools.

Social-emotional learning becomes the latest victim of culture wars as angry parents criticize programs across the country

A new culture war has broken out over Social Emotional Learning (SEL), a program that is now slowly being implemented in schools across the country. Some angry parents say it “promotes suicide” while supporters argue that it is an important tool in understanding emotions, sexuality, and racial identity.

Before SEL, Critical Race Theory (CRT) was widely condemned by parents, educators, and the Republican Party, although it was rarely taught at the school level. Hundreds of school committee meetings were filled with angry parents railing against CRT, and one father even said it was “life support” that keeps racism alive. The debates also reached the federal government, where General Mark Milley was forced to defend the military’s adoption of CRT in an Armed Services Committee hearing in June.

The Committee for Children describes SEL as an essential tool for the development of young people – National University describes it as ‘a methodology that helps students of all ages to better comprehend their emotions, to feel those emotions fully, and demonstrate empathy for others.’

SEL classes are designed to help the youngest children give voice to their feelings and emotions; older children will discuss mental health, sexuality, and race. The concept was popularized following the 1995 publication of Daniel Goleman’s book, Emotional Intelligence.

Goleman believed there was too much emphasis in schools on intellectual achievement, and not enough attention paid to encouraging qualities such as self-awareness and impulse control, persistence, zeal and self-motivation, empathy, and social deftness. Yet critics are beginning to question the introduction of SEL in schools.

Many parents feel that matters should be left to the classroom, not the school. But that argument has been refuted by a Carmel parent, Amal Anthony. “While we all like to think that our children come to us first, sometimes that’s not the reality,” she said. The rapidly increasing rate of suicides, gun violence, and sexual violence among school children also contributes to the fire. Suicide is the second leading cause of child death today, with suicide attempts increasing by 31% in early 2020 compared to 2019.

SEL advocates argue that the framework is exactly what can help. A mother from Southlake Texas said, “Personally, I can’t understand why parents wouldn’t want their child to understand – even if their child doesn’t have mental health problems … what depression looks like, what anxiety looks like.” But many don’t see it that way, fueled by GOP-led propaganda that SEL is a replacement for CRT, which they have successfully turned into a major culture war.

Alvin Lui, who co-founded a group called Unify Carmel, circulated dossiers about Whiteside that included an analysis of posts she had liked or shared on social media.

He said she was anti-police and said that SEL was ‘an extremely deceptive indoctrination system.’
He said the school did not need therapists, as they should ‘involve parents if there’s an issue.’
He added: ‘But focus the kids on academics.

‘Focus them on something productive and useful so that they feel competent and confident that they’re doing well in school.
‘They shouldn’t be questioning their gender identity and worrying about marching and worrying about social justice.’

What do you think?…should SEL be scrapped out totally? Kindly share your thoughts with us.