We have unfortunately produced a society where we don't have to look far to see that we have a real problem with how people handle their feelings and relationships. I have seen the impact of these lessons on children with or without 'problems' and know that there is a definite place for them

Janice , Birmingham,

These are people who see these students are can see where their 'school given' problems come from. I work in a school also and see this! My children are doomed to fight for an education with a school system who thinks other things are more important to them than to educate.

Ben Chog, Eastbourne, England

The problem here is a misunderstanding or misrepresentation of what SEAL is and does. SEAL is trying to retrain pupils in skills that have become lost, reading body language, social interaction etc. In a time when many parents seem to have difficulty in promoting these skills it is left to teachers

G. Currie, Birmingham,

The same thing happened to the Roman Republic when it feminized. Read a decent history of Rome from about 175 b.c.
to 50 b.c.

mam, Dayton, USA

We've always had adults who wore any ailments like a badge, mental or otherwise. I know a few who are in their 50's!

There are children with real problems, who are going to be noticed, helped and given resilience to be stronger adults. Would we rather they were left to bumble through themselves?

Donna, London,

Emotions are central to thinking. Rational thought is a servant to the irrational gut instincts. Learning about emotions can help when pursued correctly but like any other aspect of learning ignorance is never a good a teacher. I see some are self taught here!

Kevin, Lincoln, UK

If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail. If all you know is sociology, every child looks like a future sociiologist.

This is nothing new and has been plaguing the workplace for years. We're just passing the affliction on to the next generation.

Ian Kemmish, Biggleswade, UK

The bleeding hearts and PC crew will be the death of this country. If a child is handing in rubbish, they need to know it so they can improve. If a child looks happy, they are normally happy... TEACH the children, not wrap them in cotton wool, and allow teachers to exclude the trouble makers.

Darren, Norwich, UK

I would like to introject that it is perhaps not the problem of "therapeutic education" per se, but rather its shoddy quality in both concept and execution.The emotionally incontinent victim-mongering of unskilled quasi-professionals is destructive. Experienced clinicians work to create resilience.

DSE Dunn., MSc., Clin.Dip.Psych., London, England

The leftist lunatics assume all children will only ever feel politically-correct 'nice' emotions. But most kids rapidly learn to 'say one thing, but think another' at school. And after years on the dole, might not such skills for expressing emotions move in the direction of loathing and hatred?

Mike Martinson, Stoke-on-Trent, UK

I'm disappointed that vj says that the lead has to come from central government. It could come from us, if we started ignoring central government as much as possible, or just treating it as a powerful background factor to be coped with, like bad weather.

Frank Upton, Solihull,

Dr.Seldon's comment are, with immense respect for someone I have worked with in the school, a bit of blairite spin.last year's A level students have never had well-being lessons. It was the introduction of old-fashioned zero tolerence of lazy students that did the trick.

MH, Ashtead, UK

This article must have been written with the 'university' I work at in mind.It is the prevailing culture,from public sector housing and benefit offices, social services to education. I'm hopefully awaiting the inevitable return to real life,the lead has to come from central government.

vj, london,

If you spend enough time reading the Times about subjects like this,you will after a few years come to one conclusion, civilisations rise then go through a period of soul searching, then fall never to be seen again. We as the west are in a downward trend.Too much PC and too many softies = Extinction

shane, blackburn, england

What we are seeing is a relatively late stage in the decline of an empire.

Many of us are old enough to remember being told at school "There is no such word as 'can't'."

Now there is no such word as 'can'.

Ian Tinn, Slough, England

This book identifies much that is wrong with education. One bad feature of state schools is the pseudo-subject called PSHE, personal, social and health education, or as it should be called Political indoctrination, immoral Sex, and Helplessness Education. It is all political correctness.

George, Bolton, England

“Everyone looks for a difficulty to declare".

Not only this, but perfectly content children after stating that they are happy are encouraged to dwell on their own emotional state and find a problem. With sufficient repetition the child will always find a problem - a bit like a sin in confession!

Des, Edinburgh,

Yes, Professor Seldon, Wellington's higher grade A-level results have risen 34% in the past three years, just as those of every sink sixth form college in the country. It can't be grade inflation, so it must be happiness lessons - well done, sir!

Marcus, Twickenham, UK