Social-emotional learning curricula approved by District 49 school board in Colorado Springs

Dec. 16—The District 49 school board approved social-emotional learning curricula in a contentious 3-2 vote at Thursday's board meeting. The vote solidified a list of 18 programs already in use at district schools.

The agenda item, prepared by district CEO Peter Hilts, said all programs "fully comply with our culture and strategy." The list will continually be reviewed for effectiveness.

SEL focuses on educational equity by helping students "develop healthy identities, manage emotions, and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others," among other objectives, according to CASEL.org.

Proponents say SEL is a positive way of developing people skills and managing one's own feelings, thus decreasing violent behavior, depression and anxiety among young students. Rebekah Lusk, a counselor at Bennett Ranch Elementary and a district parent, said some members of the board don't understand how schools use SEL.

"It does feel like certain board members think that we're there to brainwash kids and all of that, and it's not at all. We have a mental health crisis in our country, and we need all the help we can get," Lusk said during public comment. "We have about 400 kids at our school. There's only one of me."

The curricula has been a hot topic in the district, with board member Ivy Liu among the most vocal opponents. Liu has previously likened SEL to "indoctrination" and a pathway to teaching concepts of "critical race theory."

"We don't need to teach kids to be victims who look for the ill of society in this great country of ours," Liu said. "I think that's what some SEL programs are pushing toward — not I think, I know based on the website description."

Board member Jamilynn D'Avola moved to table the vote on SEL until all five board members have had an opportunity to review the materials for themselves. The motion, seconded by Liu, was voted down 3-2.

Liu said she wants to divert money from SEL programming to hire additional school counselors or fund character development programs, which she said are cheaper and markedly different from SEL.

The district CEO and board do not select curriculum, according to Hilts. Schools and zones choose their curricula themselves.

"Our schools and zones, the teachers you say you support, disagree with you about this matter," Hilts said. "Every school accountability committee that has reviewed its own SEL implementation has supported it."

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The district has never received a complaint from a district parent about SEL or character education program in District 49, Hilts said.

"While this list has been thoroughly vetted, we also understand the valid concern of divisive and controversial rhetoric that can sneak into social-emotional programs," board President John Graham said. "We are emphasizing that professional educators and the parents are the ones that have the most direct knowledge of the needs of their children and have the choices right in front of them."

The board later adopted a revised code of conduct at Thursday's board meeting after months of infighting, which came to a head during a lively November meeting in which Liu was censured for her social media posts. The district also opened an investigation into her behavior "for possible criminal or civil action" at an initial cost of $10,000 or less, funded through the district's general budget, according to the resolution.

The revised policy spells out "acceptable and unacceptable behaviors of Board Directors both during and outside of official meetings" and outlines the disciplinary steps that will be taken should a director be found in violation of policy.

The alleged offender will be notified in writing by the board president, vice president or legal counsel, according to the policy, and instructed on how to correct the violating behavior. The director may dispute the violation in writing.

Should the violator continue their behavior, their first correction will involve a private conversation detailing the policy violation and a recommended action, which can include a public apology, private apology "and/or a restorative practice."

If the behavior continues, the violator's second correction will be public, followed by vote for correctional action. Additional actions can include:

"a) Removal of Officer (President, Treasurer, Secretary) Designation.

b) Removal of board Liaison assignments.

c) Public admonishment in the form of a statement.

d) Public censure in the form of a memorandum."

Law forbids a board's vice president from being stripped of their officership, according to Graham, but all other board members can lose their officership roles.

As elected officials, board members cannot be removed from their board seats except by public vote or by recall, a complex process that requires support from 25% of the votes cast in the last election, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.