"SEL" The Trojan Horse of Our Times

Activists disguise “social and emotional learning” (SEL) programs as mental health initiatives designed to grow children’s social skills.

In reality, these programs are introduced in classrooms by leftist government school administrators for the purpose of indoctrinating children.

SEL is the "trojan horse" of our times.

Parents are expressing growing frustration with public schools. When they demand their children are not taught Critical Race Theory, for example, they are told by the school administration or board, "Oh, we're not teaching CRT." 

This also applies to materials taught concerning sex ed, gender, racism, etc.

All of these leftist, nefarious materials have been rolled up into SEL---the Trojan Horse of our times.

Be informed, not misled.

What is SEL?

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) sounds quite benign---most parents want their children to develop into complete adults socially, emotionally mature, and stable.

Proponents of SEL tout the curriculum as a way for schools to “foster personal and collective growth and well-being in students."

They say, “SEL is trying to bring a balance to the individual and what are the personal competencies you need to develop to be successful? How do you pull them all together so that kids can relate and navigate the world more effectively?” 

SEL has appeared to be so non-controversial that some school districts are promoting it, even celebrating the fact that they use SEL in their educational materials.

A non-profit organization called "Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning" (CASEL) has been set up. They are working together with school districts to inject critical race theory disguised as personal growth learning programs in classrooms all around the country.

Austen, Texas is one of many. Here's how they promote it:

In Austin Independent School District, we believe that Social Emotional Learning is at the heart of equity-centered systems and structures. In an effort to grow this belief into a reality, the SEL and Cultural Proficiency and Inclusiveness department has adopted a new statement of purpose for our work together. Our goal is to use and grow our social and emotional skills while creating brave, respectful, collaborative spaces to support all students, staff, families, and communities throughout our district.

Then they define SEL:

What is SEL?

Social and Emotional Learning is a process for helping children and adults develop fundamental knowledge, skills, and attitudes for life effectiveness. SEL teaches the skills we all need to handle ourselves, our relationships, and our work effectively and ethically:

• Develop healthy identities
• Manage emotions
• Achieve personal and collective goals
• Feel and show empathy for others
• Establish and maintain supportive relationships
• Make responsible and caring decisions.
• Handle challenging situations constructively and ethically 

These skills and concepts are integrated into academic lessons and practiced to enhance the climate of the school. Out-of-school time providers and parents reinforce SEL skills as well. 

Gov. Ron DeSantis responds.

A new video from the office of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis documents how the nonprofit Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) and school districts are working together to inject critical race theory disguised as personal growth learning programs in classrooms all around the country.

The message is: “It is time to stop political indoctrination in our schools.” 

I strongly encourage you to check out this video. It's 5:34 in length. It's worth the five minutes. Note the so-called "Pledge of  Social Allegiance" in the video.

This is an overview of comments from the video:

“Elevating student voice and vision is an SEL lever for equity,” Eric Gordon, the superintendent and CEO of Cleveland Metropolitan School District, proudly says. 

The video also showcases SEL slides that demand participants “critically examine root causes of inequity,” “recognize, acknowledge, and address practices and policies that perpetuate inequities,” and “cultivate anti-racist mindsets.” Another clip features a woman reciting CASEL’s revamped version of the Pledge of Allegiance which calls for students to stand for “one world, many beliefs, indivisible, with liberty, health, safety, and justice for all.”

Parents like Texas mother Gabrielle Clark, who threatened last year to sue lawmakers in her home state for failing to keep critical race theory out of her child’s classroom, see the havoc SEL teachings are wreaking on her children.

“My daughter was socially transitioned into thinking she was a boy,” Clark recounted in a Fox News clip included in the montage. “I had to stop my activism from my son for CRT and change direction and change course and start activism for SEL, social-emotional learning because our children are being indoctrinated on all these different fronts and we need to — we need to do something about it.”

Another parent, a father, recounts how a Washington State school, through the SEL program, put his child on antidepressants without parental consent or knowledge.

“He’s been on them for several months. I had no knowledge. I knew nothing about it, knew nothing. Come to find out, it’s 100 percent legal. They could do whatever they want with our kids in Washington State in this school program,” he said.

Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis publicly condemned SEL in a roundtable discussion on Wednesday.

First Lady @CaseyDeSantis is exactly right. It's disgusting that some are using mental health to push an agenda on children.

That's why her resilience initiative is critical. Serving our children means helping them overcome challenges, not define themselves by them. pic.twitter.com/fBpFw5Q18s

— Bryan Griffin (@BryanDGriffin) March 22, 2023

“There have been some folks who have tried to make politics out of mental health, who have tried to inject an ideology and an agenda in the name of mental health. And honestly, that’s disgusting,” she said, noting that schools should be “giving our kids key foundational skills to learn how to persevere through what inevitably will be thrown at them in life. This is just wrong.”

Indeed it is.

Isaiah 54:13: "And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children."

Be Informed. Be Vigilant. Be Discerning. Be Engaged. Be Prayerful.