To VA state Reps:
SEL is an excellent initiative and much needed in the public school. It has many wonderful facets and helps in forming productive, peaceful citizens.
What you have done in this document is added various elements of critical justice studies into the teaching of young students. Who decides what "inequity" or "injustice" means? Who decides what "ethical" means? These are issues and conversations to be had between parents and children. I have ZERO interest in allowing the public school systems to tell my children what actions or behaviors are or are not just, equitable, or ethical. The school system should not ever replace the job/choice of a parent to decide how to parent their children. I’m an educator as well as a parent, and I strongly believe there are family-related boundaries and choices that need to be respected. In addition, school is not a place for politically related social justice lessons.
The following SEL standards need to be abolished from this document:
SoA2: 11-12a, I can recognize, describe and distinguish inequity and injustice at different levels of society.
SoA2: 11-12b, I can identify and work to address my own conscious biases and implicit (unconscious) biases.
ReS1: 5-6d, I can demonstrate how I will navigate situations when I might feel pressured to go along with injustice.
SoA2: 7-8a, I can recognize and describe unfairness and injustice in many forms including attitudes, speech, behaviors, policies, practices, and laws
SoA2: 11-12a, I can recognize, describe and distinguish inequity and injustice at different levels of society.
ReS1: 11-12d, I can make ethical decisions about when and how to take a stand against bias and injustice in my everyday life or community and will do so despite negative peer or group pressure.
I would strongly encourage you to stick with SEL standards such as this one:
SoA1: 11-12a, I can relate to and build connections with other people by showing them empathy, compassion, and understanding by highlighting and honoring differing perspectives, backgrounds, cultures or social groups
This is the perspective we need in a multi-cultural republic. Not critical-justice studies that seek to continually assign blame and guilt to particular groups and provide no pathway to a brighter future.
Thank you.
Jill Whitescarver