URGENT: Comment on BESE's Proposed Early Childhood Learning and Developmental Standards
Time sensitive Call to ACTION!
On December 9th, we sent out a Call to Action regarding BESE’s proposed Early Childhood Learning and Development Standards - thank you so much for emailing BESE with your concerns! Because of the tremendous public response, BESE has opened the portal for public comment once again for these proposed standards.
If you will recall, the parent led education advocacy groups from across the state raised alarm over the proposed Early Childhood Leaning and Development Standards content that included elements of Social Emotional Learning (SEL). Please refer back to our original article for more about SEL.
What can you do?
On or before January 10, 2023, leave a comment at the BESE public comment portal found here: Public Comment - Louisiana's Early Learning and Development Standards Draft . (This is not a user friendly portal! We provide some tips below.)
Enter personal information (email, first name, last name, parish, credentials).
Choose the DOMAIN : Social and Emotional Development
Select “Overall Domain Feedback.”
Make a general comment in the small space provided. Comments can possibly include:
These standards are too broad which allows SEL curriculum and professional development to be utilized to meet the social and development aspects of the standards.
Traditional values & moral values being taught at home are being canceled and replaced by educational instruction, violating the underlying ethics of Louisiana Children’s Code.
The long term impacts of this type of pedagogy have not been studied.
There is a negative cultural shift in educational settings due to the implementation of SEL.
Ex: Tension between peers due to their identifying markers in society - race, gender, etc.
SEL removes student individualism and creates collectivism.
Please share this CTA with friends and family! BESE needs to hear our concerns about the inclusion of SEL in the proposed standards.
For additional information, the images below provide a general overview of where issues arise within the proposes standards. Click on the images to enlarge.
Social Emotional Learning curriculum feels stifling and unfriendly. Using this curriculum will develop depending children on other children or adults to make decisions for them. Children will not be independent and learn on their on. Seems like you are trying to take raising up of the children away from the parent. Parents take the lead on what is good for their child. Seems like you are trying to mix to many adults in with the child. Might confuse the child into going home with the wrong adult. I taught children in the non-category. Zero to 3 years. It has been a long time since I worked with the children. So I am sure that I have forgotten how many things. You raise a child up with love and trust.
I read through the post, and went to the BESE comments, and here's what I said:
The simple answer for parents who believe their children are being "brainwashed" by public school instruction is: Don't send your babies to public school.
I'm really confused about this hullabaloo. I am a grandmother who became a teacher late in life, and public school is no place for children, at least not until they are old enough to have been instructed in values and beliefs by their own parents --at minimum, age seven.
So why all the fuss? Why not promote private and home school instead of attacking public schools?