The Skeptic's View: Social-Emotional Learning Programs and Their Impact on Education
No, social-emotional learning (SEL) programs are largely cash grabs based on pseudoscience. The good news is that America's education system is in a dire state, with many students struggling in basic subjects like reading and mathematics. This is a situation that needs addressing, but it's wholly inappropriate to use class time to explore the feelings and emotions of students for the duration of just 180 days.
Good News and Bad News
The good news about SEL programs is that they are largely ineffectual cash grabs by the same consultants who have always lined up at the educational trough to feed on taxpayers and low-information administrators. The bad news is that unqualified teachers are often left navigating the emotional terrain of children, a task better suited to trained professionals. It's akin to asking a handyman to fix the engine of a light aircraft; good luck with that!
Pseudo-Scientific Claims and Risks
SEL programs are ultimately built on pseudo-scientific claims that can do more harm than good. For instance, the popular SEL figure Bessel van der Kolk authored the book The Body Keeps Score, which claims that traumatic memories are stored in bodily organs, a notion that is greatly disputed by neuroscientists and cognitive psychologists. This idea of "trauma" and its storage in the body is both grossly unscientific and part of the worst forms of iatrogenic harm, or harm caused by the treatment itself.
CASEL and New Age Influences
While some SEL programs rely on unscientific notions of trauma, others are driven by more dubious backgrounds. The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), a main body promoting SEL in the U.S., is deeply entangled with the Fetzer Institute, a new-age religious movement. John Fetzer, the founder of the Fetzer Institute, left the Seventh-day Adventist Church and turned towards a variety of metaphysical religions, including Freemasonry, psychotherapy, Buddhism, Theosophy, and UFO-ology. This group is now the de facto standard for SEL experts, a cause that, as it turns out, is quite profitable.
Transformative SEL: Political Indoctrination
The worst aspect of SEL programs is their potential for political indoctrination, especially with the adoption of Transformative SEL in 2020 by CASEL. This version of SEL seeks to transform children's identities, incorporating complex and intersectional theories rooted in Black feminist thought. According to CASEL's website, "self-awareness" now involves adopting an "integrated identity" rooted in intersectionality, "social awareness" involves "public regard of one's racial group," and "self-management" now includes "resistance." These concepts do not just aim to develop emotional skills; they also push students towards a form of activism that can be inconsistent with or violate existing laws.
So, at best, SEL programs are a waste of time and money that could be better spent improving basic reading and math skills. At worst, they are Trojan horses for pushing a radical political ideology into the K-12 curriculum, potentially causing more harm than good.
In conclusion, while it's essential to develop emotional and social skills in children, it is crucial to do so with scientifically backed methods and under the guidance of qualified professionals. Misguided and pseudo-scientific approaches risk derailing both the educational mission and the well-being of our children.