This education 'fad' not delivering results, says group

Social Emotional Learning is described as a way of understanding and managing student emotions through intense data gathering. It has been defined as "the process by which children and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions."

Dr. Karen Effrem, president of Education Liberty Watch, says public schools continuously want to expand SEL – even though national spending in public K-12 schools already exceeds $30 billion each year.

"Expansion of [SEL] would really erode the fundamental right of parents to control the education and upbringing of their children," she tells OneNewsNow, "because of this unjustified expansion of the schools beyond their basic mission of academics."

In an article she co-wrote with Jane Robbins, Effrem argues that instead of improving classroom achievement and help student to reach their highest potential, SEL "doubles down" on failed education fads of the past. There's little to no proof, she says, that SEL propels students to greater academic achievement and personal fulfillment.

"Unfortunately, big corporate America and education technology companies really want to push this stuff," she laments. "… The corporations want workers who are programmed to act a certain way, and the education technology companies just want to make money."

Effrem says if this continues, it has the potential to head toward the social credit score system China has nefariously imposed on its populace.