Take Action: Kids Deserve to Be More Than Just Okay

We know how deeply you care about the safety and social-emotional well-being of the children you serve. Back-to-school feels different this year for many educators as there continues to be scrutiny and misinformation about the purpose of social-emotional learning (SEL) for students. And as midterms approach in November, we expect an uptick in contentious conversations about SEL, putting students’ access to essential life skills at risk.

We’ve developed a short video that gives families a look into how social-emotional learning is taught in classrooms and how, by teaching foundational life skills at school and at home, we can help our kids thrive and be more than just okay.

After viewing, we kindly ask that you share the video with families, communities, and your networks this week to help advocate for SEL.

Over the past year, we’ve learned that much of the pushback against SEL stems from a basic misunderstanding about what it is and why it matters. Our hope is that through resources like these, we can inspire and inform families and communities about how partnering with educators on SEL helps their children develop foundational life skills like communication, problem-solving, and coping during difficult times. These skills are fundamental to children’s success in the classroom and beyond.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for all you do in support of SEL and children’s well-being. It will take everyone—educators, families, and communities—to ensure children have access to social-emotional learning so they can gain confidence, stay focused and productive, and build relationships that will allow them to thrive.

Andrea Lovanhill | Chief Executive Officer

Committee for Children