Confliction Between Mindests Surrounding Students New SEL Course - By Dina Reyes

SEL is a controversial topic within Richland High School; many believe it is important, and many believe it is useless. These beliefs vary, and it is a highly talked about topic that I believe should be discussed. What is SEL? SEL is a curriculum adopted in the spring of 2023 for the upcoming year 2023/2024. 90% of schools and school districts around the US have implemented this new topic to teach students valuable lessons and life skills. From preschool all the way up to high school, they hope to touch on topics of building strong relationships, character growth, and life success. They approach this new topic by providing collaborative and inclusive approaches. 

For Richland High School specifically, the school puts each student into a classroom every Friday, and the teacher uses the new SEL curriculum for 25 minutes each week, hoping to build students in a positive way. SEL is a controversial subject because of the black-and-white opinions on whether they think it is important or not. I asked 79 students to survey whether they feel that SEL is important to their personal growth or whether they feel that itś not. 76 of those students believed it was not important, and 3 believed it was important. 

One student felt it necessary to comment on this topic after they voted it unimportant. They stated that, ¨If anything, it makes my emotional state worse.¨ On that note, I had a long discussion with two students who attend Richland; however, they felt that it would be better to remain anonymous. They each were asked the same questions. To start, I asked if SEL was affecting them in a positive way that they tried implementing. One student said, ¨I think it's not a necessary thing to be taught. It´s not doing what it's supposed to do.¨ The other stated, ¨ It's not affecting me in a bad way, but it's also not affecting me in a good way. It's just unnecessary.¨ Next, I asked them if they believed that SEL should be an optional course for students to join. They both agreed that it should and added that ¨maybe it could be an elective or something.¨ Lastly, I asked both students about their opinions on how SEL could be successful and work the way the school district would like. ¨ I think they should make it more relevant to high schoolers. Maybe if they focused more on mental health, which are problems that affect many high schoolers, instead of our character.¨ They felt that by now, we should know how to act; if not, then there's not much the class can do. The other student said, ¨it could be successful if they talk more about helping people.¨ 

Both have similar thoughts on this topic, while the principal of Richland, Nicole Anderson, has a different approach to this. I asked her some questions that touched on my research, but to confirm it, I asked the principal with the knowledge to further educate me. I asked her if SEL has mostly sprung around the Richland School district. She replied, ¨Social emotional learning is being taught in all districts across the state from Preschool all the way up through 12th grade. It is a state expectation that we integrate SEL into our schools.¨ I asked her from a higher-up position why she felt it would be a positive improvement to the school. ¨Pre Covid, most students knew how to cope and adapt. During the shutdown, many students didn´t practice their social skills. Washington State’s Office of Public Instruction developed state standards so that, in partnership with schools, parents and students could help rebuild their deficient skills. ¨ When asked why she personally hoped this would impact the kids, she replied, ¨ We care about our Bombers. During COVID we forgot about how to take care of ourselves and learning, growing, and problem-solving on our own. Bomber culture is one where we Love, Serve, and Care for eachother, in some ways, those skills have been lost.  With the implementation, it is a reminder that we, as a Bomber community, take care of each other and ourselves.¨ 

Lastly, I had a conversation with a parent about their beliefs about SEL. I told this parent about SEL and the motivation behind it, and they believe that it is, ¨This is not something that should not be taught in high school. It should have been enforced for younger kids who need these skills for their future and development. It is a good idea; however, it wasn't a part of our kids' previous education. They haven´t done it for 11,12,13 years, so trying to make our seniors or other students participate, they don´t want to do it.¨ Thank you to everyone who had a say on this topic. Multiple viewpoints of SEL were presented on the new curriculum. What side are you on?