A couple of weeks ago I received info about this input opportunity and I sent information out about it to an email distribution list I have. I had intended to post it to TUP earlier and am only now getting to that. It appears the opportunity to submit input is still available. You are encouraged to submit input, share the information with others, and encourage them to provide input. The end date for the survey is February 1, 2019.
Washington State Social Emotional Learning—Submit Your Input
Washington state did not ask parents, voters, taxpayers, or the public about SEL when the state started down this path.The state has been at it for several years now and has developed benchmarks and has been in the process of developing developmental indicators for the benchmarks. You are being asked your thoughts about SEL implementation in WA with the survey at the link below.
Washington State Social Emotional Learning Efforts – We need your opinion
Public Social Emotional Learning Survey
This link takes you to the survey page. The page has links to an SEL One Pager, SEL FAQ’s, and to two workgroup pages. The workgroup meets monthly and the meetings are open to the public. Members of the public need to start attending these meetings. Meeting schedule and agenda can be found at this page:
http://www.k12.wa.us/WorkGroups/SELB.aspx
The survey only has eight questions and an opportunity to write recommendations in for six of those questions. Question 3 asks: “Do you have any concerns regarding the implementation of SEL in schools and districts?” It only provides for a yes or no response with no opportunity to express those concerns in response to the question. I would encourage you to weave your concerns into written responses for the other questions.
Before you submit your input, please read this list of concerns about Social Emotional learning that may help you with your input.
Social Emotional Learning Concerns
- Social emotional learning (SEL) standards, benchmarks, learning indicators, programs, and assessments address subjective non-cognitive factors.
- Subjective non-cognitive factors addressed in SEL programs may include attributes, dispositions, social skills, attitudes, beliefs, feelings, emotions, mindsets, metacognitive learning skills, motivation, grit, self-regulation, tenacity, perseverance, resilience, and intrapersonal resources even though programs may use different terminology.
- The federal government does not have the constitutional authority to promote or develop social emotional standards, benchmarks, learning indicators, programs or assessments.
- Promoting and implementing formal SEL program standards, benchmarks, learning indicators and assessments will depersonalize the informal education good teachers have always provided.
- Teachers implementing SEL standards, benchmarks, learning indicators, programs, and assessments may end up taking on the role of mental health therapists for which they are not professionally trained. SEL programs should require the onsite supervision of adequately trained professional psychologists/psychotherapists.
- Social and emotional learning programs take time away from academic knowledge and fundamental skills instruction.
- SEL programs may promote and establish thoughts, values, beliefs, and attitudes not reflective of those held by parents and infringe upon parental rights to direct the upbringing and education of their children.
- Informed active written parental consent should be required prior to any student participating in any social emotional learning program or assessment through the school system.
- Sensitive personally identifiable non-cognitive data will be collected on individuals through SEL programs.
- The collection and use of subjective non-cognitive individual student SEL data may result in improper labeling of students. This data will follow individuals throughout their lifetime with the potential for unintended use resulting in negative consequences.
- Concerns have been expressed that SEL programs and collected data may potentially be misused with a captive and vulnerable audience for indoctrination, social and emotional engineering, to influence compliance, and to predict future behavior.
(we can do those one pagers too)
You may also want to read the article What is So Great About SEL?
The Underground Parent 