Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is the umbrella for social engineering concepts that have infiltrated our schools such as Critical Race Theory, gender ideology, equity, Comprehensive Sex Education and even with religious overtones.

Social Emotional Learning is Masquerading as Education

Child Protection League had the honor of being asked to submit an article about Social Emotional Learning (SEL) for the Spring 2023 issue of the Christian publication RenewaNation Magazine. SEL teaches a race-based, politicized worldview that doesn’t align with reality or with truth. Unfortunately, some Christian schools are adopting SEL curriculum without closely examining its content.

Read what CPL Vice President Bonnie Gasper has to say in the article, SEL Masquerading as Education (PDF).


About SEL

Don’t be fooled! Social Emotional Learning has been given many names (“knowledge-based learning,” literature-based,” “data driven program”) that make it more “sellable,” more appealing but regardless of the name, it is still the same ideology.

Teachers are trained in “mapping cultural values” which means identifying a student’s “personal cultural values and preferences.” This information is collected in a “data dashboard” and measured to see whether an individual demonstrates change in regard to attitudes, feelings and behaviors. The results are entered into a national SEL data bank. It is an invasion of privacy.

Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Explained by James Lindsay (14 minutes)
In this short video, renowned Critical Race Theory expert James Lindsay explains SEL.

  • Will Your Children Soon Be Eating Bugs?
    In this CPL email update, discover how the globalists at the UN recognize the usefulness of SEL in reshaping and transforming your child into a compliant, controllable, predictable, champion of every Sustainable Development Goal. Behavioral modification (SEL in classrooms) is used to reach their goals (i.e., psychological manipulation, brainwashing and mindfulness training).
  • 15 Harmful Effects of SEL (PDF)
    You will want to read this comprehensive guide with references to understand the full scope of what Social Emotional Learning is and the dangers this curriculum presents.
  • Christian Schools Should Not be Duped by Social Emotional Learning
    Social Emotional Learning is widely used in our public schools and is infiltrating private schools, including Christian schools. In this article, Alen & Julie Quist examine the suitability of SEL in schools in general and specifically in Christian schools.

Quists’ article was featured in Alpha News, Christian schools should reject social-emotional learning.

  • SEL a Vehicle for Critical Race Theory and Equity
    According to CASEL, the leading national developer, promoter, and funder of SEL, the highly touted 5 SEL competencies are benign values to be inculcated into all students, forming the new core of “transformational education.” However, according to their own documentation, the 5 SEL competencies are to be interpreted and applied through an “Equity” lens. The 5 SEL core competencies that are Cultural Marxist indoctrination are rapidly replacing academics as our nation’s core curriculum. Equity & Social and Emotional Learning: A Cultural Analysis (PDF)

As explained in these articles, SEL or more accurately the program of in-school “psychological training” for children has become a major vehicle for the Critical Race Theory movement.

SEL Guides

SEL Assessments

Social Emotional Learning is a data collection system of every child’s values, attitudes, and beliefs. A type of blockchain educational record designed to aggregate health, behavioral, demographic, and cognitive data on children and families the moment the school implements this system. Most parents do not realize or understand what SEL really is – a method to indoctrinate and track every aspect of their child’s life.

Refuse the Surveys!
The continual surveys are tools used to identify your child’s values, attitudes, and beliefs so the data miners can know what mitigations are needed to transform your children into believers and champions of the new cultural dogmas. Protect your kids’ privacy and emotional health! Teach them how to say NO to intrusive, personal questioning in their schools.

Be sure to go to our Data Collection and Opt Out sections for more information, survey samples and forms.

  • SEL Non-Cognitive Assessment in Minnesota (PDF)
    What, if any, are the Minnesota mandates for non-cognitive assessments and/or other standards regarding social and emotional competencies? How are they being measured? Minn. Stat. § 121A.031, subd. 5: “Districts and schools must establish strategies for creating a positive school climate and use evidence-based social-emotional learning to prevent and reduce discrimination and other improper conduct.” (emphasis added)

Schools are already doing this. Data collected and stored on students’ SEL competencies are central to SEL. Betsy Armstrong presents a well-researched,  comprehensive document explaining SEL in Minnesota and its implications in our schools.

  • Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS)
    Centered on equity, PBIS  is rapidly infiltrating schools through the ruse of Social Emotional Learning. PBIS emphasizes five inter-related elements: equity, systems, data, practices, and outcomes. Whose values and behavior are acceptable? Why are they tracking every child with tools such as an QR code entry? These and so many questions need to be asked!
  • Data Mining Tools
    • OTUS Tracking (25 second video clip)
      Here representatives of the OTUS software company lay out what will likely be a blockchain educational record designed to aggregate health, behavioral, demographic, and cognitive data on children and families from the time they enter the system.

There is a big push right now for social emotional learning and mental health screenings of students. It’s important to understand this data feeds pay for success human capital markets. This data is being gathered on digital devices. It not protected by HIPPA.

They state that they will not tell the parents they are tracking their child’s “neuroticism” lest they fill the school board meeting. He says they are leaving space on the software platform for wearable tech data (QR codes).

    • Panorama Education
      Companies such as Panorama offer a central system to track and analysis your child. This is just one company a school district could use to collect your child’s information using a 3rd party.

Panorama touts: “Did you know? Panorama was ranked the#1 SEL measurement tool in a 2021 report from Tyton Partners supported by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.” That should tell you everything – who is supporting and even pushing SEL in your schools!

SEL Videos

  • Social Emotional Learning Webinar (25 minute video)
    A Child Protection League webinar by Barb Anderson that explains what SEL is and how it is affecting children in our schools.
  • SEL 101 (20 minute video)
    An excellent overview of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) which has infiltrated most schools. Additional information about SEL at Purple for Parents, producers of the video. Ways SEL Is Implemented in the Classroom

Ways SEL Is Implemented

Transformative Mindfulness Education

  • What Does “Mindfulness” Have To Do With Education?
    Mindfulness is one of many SEL competencies which have replaced academic mastery in public education, shifting curriculum away from academic content, facts, and information to a psychosocial focus on the whole child– body, mind, and spirit.
  • SEL and Spirituality: Instructional Implications
    This article introduces and promotes the dangerous idea that training students into the practice of eastern spirituality called Mindfulness by incorporating it into the teaching of SEL is acceptable.

In the Classroom and Beyond

  • CASEL Advancing Social Emotional Learning
    The biggest advocate pushing SEL into the classroom is CASEL. Althought it sounds good, beware of the underlying goals for SEL. Their website states, “The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning is helping make evidence-based social and emotional learning an integral part of education from preschool through high school.” (emphasis added)
  • University of Minnesota Extension Using SEL
    SEL has even infiltrated youth development programs such as 4-H. SEL sounds inviting and educational but ask yourself what and whose values are the children learning? Listen to the “politically correct” words used in children’s vocabulary — “safe spaces, cultural responsiveness, Indigenous Circles, work father…” Notice also that data is gathered using incentives, such as candy, Instagram, etc., which in turn is used to produce “best practices” research.