The politicization of and misinformation about social-emotional learning

Abstract

This article examines how social-emotional learning (SEL) has been misrepresented and politicized in recent educational and political discourse. Drawing on the author’s lived experience in Cuba, where censorship and ideological control were (and continue to be) central to education, the article traces parallels to current debates in the United States and other global contexts. Critics have accused SEL of promoting ideological agendas, often using a strategy known as “accusation in a mirror,” which deflects attention by attributing to SEL the very forms of indoctrination they themselves are enacting. The article clarifies what SEL is and is not, highlighting its global roots in holistic and relational education. It also explores how SEL has long been practiced in Indigenous, community-based, and culturally grounded traditions. Rather than a political tool, SEL is presented as an essential part of human development and education. The article offers practical steps for educators, researchers, and policymakers to reclaim the narrative around SEL and affirms its role in fostering emotional literacy, community well-being, and the competencies needed for ethical participation in democratic societies.