The fundamental purpose of school is to create healthy, productive citizens who are capable of maintaining a democracy.  This is literally the reason why public school was created in this country.  Social-emotional learning is such an important element to being a healthy, productive person.  It is so important for our kids.  Learning how to identify emotions in oneself and others, set goals, plan/ organize, work cooperatively, and recognize your own strengths and areas of challenge is key to being successful in life, both in school and in the "real world."  A whiz kid who excels academically but has poor social and emotional skills will struggle.  Maybe we won't have so many angry, dysregulated adults unable to work together if we start teaching social-emotional learning!

And to those commenting on how teaching our children to recognize and effectively cope with emotions is political or somehow related to racial stuff, I encourage you to actually read the document.  It's clear that you have not.  Well done VDOE!