Virginia Regulatory Town Hall View Comments

Department of Education

State Board of Education

Guidance Document Change: The 2020 Virginia General Assembly passed House Bill 753 directing the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) to develop guidance standards for social emotional learning (SEL) for all public students in grades Kindergarten through 12 in the Commonwealth. The Virginia Social Emotional Learning Standards were developed in collaboration with an SEL Advisory Committee, composed of educators, community leaders, agency personnel, and parents. The Virginia SEL Standards are aligned with the Profile of a Virginia Graduate and centered in equity. This intentional focus allows the Standards to explicitly teach the skills needed to be “life ready” and to create more equitable learning environments.

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5/24/21 6:41 pm

Commenter: SEL standard as written is detrimental to children and the public schools

SELis a good concept, however current document overreaches and is inappropriate

This document as written goes beyond SEL and includes language and ideas that overstep what is appropriate for a school to instill in children. It appears many comments agree social and emotional health is a valid area to cultivate, however this document includes aspects that will negatively impact students and work against it’s supposed intention. The “social awareness” section stands out on contrast and contradiction to the other sections. The other sections include basic concepts in interaction and healthy behavior. The social awareness section wants to impose values and morality on children on which they will be evaluated as part of a curriculum. It is this document, the “social awareness” political agenda, and the imposition of someone else subjective values and morality that is wrong; not the concept of SEL. Rewrite this document and have it truly address SEL, leave out the social awareness political agenda.

CommentID: 98683