Posted on Sep 26, 2022
How social-emotional learning became a frontline in the battle against CRT
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https://www.npr.org/2022/09/26/ [login to see] /how-social-emotional-learning-became-a-frontline-in-the-battle-against-crt
It's hard to pinpoint when exactly the questions started coming in. Angelyn Nichols, an administrator for Virginia Beach City Public Schools, thinks it was sometime in early 2021.
What she does know is that no one really expected them in the first place, and no one expected them to keep coming – week after week, and now, year after year.
That's because the questions involved a decades-old teaching concept many educators thought was settled, uncontroversial territory: the idea that, in order to learn, students need to know how to manage themselves and get along with others.
"Principals were being asked, 'Can you talk to me about how you use social-emotional learning in your school? Are there connections to critical race theory?" says Nichols, who coordinates professional learning for the district. "Families were asking at a PTA meeting. Parents were asking their child's classroom teacher."
But one of the most visible places these concerns emerged was at the school board meetings.
It's hard to pinpoint when exactly the questions started coming in. Angelyn Nichols, an administrator for Virginia Beach City Public Schools, thinks it was sometime in early 2021.
What she does know is that no one really expected them in the first place, and no one expected them to keep coming – week after week, and now, year after year.
That's because the questions involved a decades-old teaching concept many educators thought was settled, uncontroversial territory: the idea that, in order to learn, students need to know how to manage themselves and get along with others.
"Principals were being asked, 'Can you talk to me about how you use social-emotional learning in your school? Are there connections to critical race theory?" says Nichols, who coordinates professional learning for the district. "Families were asking at a PTA meeting. Parents were asking their child's classroom teacher."
But one of the most visible places these concerns emerged was at the school board meetings.
How social-emotional learning became a frontline in the battle against CRT
Posted from npr.org
Racism
Learning
Virginia Beach
Schools
Education
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 5
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."We can sit down together and say, 'Can you share with me what part of this is a concern for you? Which skill here do you feel is a threat, feels like indoctrination, or is of a concern for you?' " she says. "I've never exited one of those conversations where both parties didn't say, 'I actually think this is really important.' "
She feels good about the progress they've made so far this year. In September, the school board passed a resolution that, in part, supports the continued teaching of social-emotional learning in schools."
..."We can sit down together and say, 'Can you share with me what part of this is a concern for you? Which skill here do you feel is a threat, feels like indoctrination, or is of a concern for you?' " she says. "I've never exited one of those conversations where both parties didn't say, 'I actually think this is really important.' "
She feels good about the progress they've made so far this year. In September, the school board passed a resolution that, in part, supports the continued teaching of social-emotional learning in schools."
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Chip, as a framework for teaching coping mechanisms and social interaction, there is nothing wrong with SEL. SEL is a tool, neither good nor bad.
However, as with many things in life, the way a tool is used is often either good or bad. What happens is that when it is used by what someone perceives as a bad way, often time the tool gets blamed instead of the individual using that tool.
This sounds like a reverse of the CRT arguments. Nobody that has actually looked into the issues and objections will say that "CRT" is being taught in schools (since "CRT" is a Harvard Law School legal framework which posits that racism is embedded in the legal system and policies), but the tenants are and are well documented. Denying that is like, well, denying that climate is changing. You can argue about WHY climate is changing and WHAT is responsible, but that doesn't change the documented facts that the climate is changing.
I haven't looked into it, so this is just a supposition - likely something was either tied to a "CRT-like" exercise or something else where SEL was on the agenda ... or someone used SEL to do a "CRT-like" block of instructions.
However, as with many things in life, the way a tool is used is often either good or bad. What happens is that when it is used by what someone perceives as a bad way, often time the tool gets blamed instead of the individual using that tool.
This sounds like a reverse of the CRT arguments. Nobody that has actually looked into the issues and objections will say that "CRT" is being taught in schools (since "CRT" is a Harvard Law School legal framework which posits that racism is embedded in the legal system and policies), but the tenants are and are well documented. Denying that is like, well, denying that climate is changing. You can argue about WHY climate is changing and WHAT is responsible, but that doesn't change the documented facts that the climate is changing.
I haven't looked into it, so this is just a supposition - likely something was either tied to a "CRT-like" exercise or something else where SEL was on the agenda ... or someone used SEL to do a "CRT-like" block of instructions.
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