Like all families, Black caregivers send their children to school not only to learn, but to be cared for by educators. In far too many cases, neither is taking place as revealed by increasing Black-White achievement gaps, over-referrals to high incidence areas of special education, excessive suspensions, under-referrals to gifted education and advanced courses, and excessive policing of Black bodies from head to toe as early as preschool. All of these school-based injustices have a common denominator: mainly White educators who harbor blatant or implicit negative expectations of Black students. The litany of journal articles, data-based reports, and personal stories in social media slam me in the face and pain my heart almost daily. The adultification and dehumanization of our Black children from preschool through high school and on to college is undeniable and sickening.
The field of Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) has a long history and is discussed in a myriad of ways, such as therapy, and counseling and advising, to help students cope with and resist bullying, feelings of alienation and isolation, and manage desires to be popular, and not underachieve. Underlying much of the conjecture and studies is the belief that those who have a positive self-esteem and healthy self-concept fair better in schools and life (e.g., socially, behaviorally, and academically) and society (e.g., career, salary) than those who do not.
I hold degrees in counseling and educational psychology. Both were chosen based on my intrigue with how social-emotional interests and needs can undercut or undermine the best education and family support—contributing to underachievement, regardless of high expectations from educators and families, high intelligence test scores, and labels for advanced students (e.g., gifted, high potential, high performing).
The ‘educating the whole child’ mantra floats around many districts and is common in reports such as this one by The Learning Policy Institute. I 100% agree with the philosophy of holistic development but have found that culture is seldom central and fundamental to this body of work. Given that most educators and mental health professionals are White and too few have extensive formal preparation in equity, diversity, and inclusion, I am not surprised by the void, but I am disappointed and alarmed. I am concerned for Black students who need SEL guidance.
Educational professionals ill-prepared to work in culturally relevant ways with students of color in their capacity as mental health professionals (e.g., counselors, social workers, psychologists), and teachers, administrators, and policy makers can contribute to and even exacerbate SEL issues for students of color. Let me begin with racial trauma as a case in point. Racism in social and school settings has increased in the last few years. According to the FBI Hate Crimes report for 2018, schools and colleges rank third at 9.2%. Race and ethnicity are consistently the number one source of hate crimes, hovering around 60% annually.
When SEL professionals and others intentionally or unintentionally adopt a culture-blind philosophy and framework, people of color are being woefully failed and marginalized. Black students cannot be or become their authentic cultural selves. For example, our bodies are critiqued and policed from head to toe in many areas and professions.
Let me recap with this short list. Racism in schools is undeniable and traumatizes Black students who are:
