This morning’s article in the Sun News featured a discussion about the *need* for SEL. I also got a message about how Florida has rejected a number of textbooks partly over this issue of SEL, plus CRT, plus Common Core, all of which Florida has wisely rejected.
In reading the SEL article, it directly mentions “yoga” techniques and “zen dens”. Obviously SEL is a sanitized version of Zen Buddhism, and anti-Christian religious viewpoint. SEL contains elements specifically designed to lead children into yogic meditation rites.
Techniques such as “self talk”, deep breathing, and progressive relaxation techniques have direct connections to Yoga meditation techniques. But if schools are teaching yoga, couldn’t they also be teaching Christian prayer techniques and the Fruit of the Spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, self-control?
No. I suppose not, because schools are supposed to be religion neutral. Except when it comes to a crypto form of Buddhist indoctrination. Or have I missed something?
According to the paper’s story (see page 6), “SEL is a framework of five competencies: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship building and positive decision making.” This sounds a lot like a reworking of the Buddhist Eightfold Path, all except the meditation component which seems to have been worked in as a means of stress relief.
Dave T.
