EDUCATION: Respect families, churches

Social Emotional Learning, Critical Race Theory, Portrait of a Graduate, Equity Framework and other programs of the same ilk are at the forefront of this school year.

The following quote is from the Social and Emotional Learning Framework handout on the Coeur d’Alene district website:

“In fact, research shows that the best predictor of student success is the extent to which families encourage learning at home and involve themselves in their child’s education. Dozens of studies on parental and caregiver engagement find a connection between family involvement and student achievement … As partners, families ​provide key insight about their children, their community and their values. They are also perfectly situated to reinforce and sustain social and emotional learning.”

The ramifications of this section is both telling and predictive of a program utterly doomed to bring nothing but conflict and division to our community. There is a large group of parents voicing their disapproval of this program, not just locally but across the nation. These parents will not encourage this program. Their involvement will be to combat every message, every assignment and every attempt to persuade their children that this program is consistent with their family’s core values.

Attempting to subvert this process wherein family and religion create the initial core values of our children will be met with strong resistance from large groups of people. Our schools have no business engaging in education that is the purview of our families and churches.

CONRAD WOODALL, MAFP

Retired college professor

Post Falls