Fyi,

Jim

Hello chapter colleagues—The following response to the George Will column was e-mailed to the Washington Post this evening.  Here is a copy for your information.  We know that the Will column was syndicated to many different papers across the country and other reporters/columnists are already jumping on board. 

We need to have this LTE published in the Post, and they are clear about having exclusive content. Unfortunately, this means that we can’t publish the content anywhere else until they print it. CSWE is choosing not to make a public statement yet.

In the meantime, we need to have a sense of how this issue is playing out in your state.  We can see some of the coverage via Google and other news tracking systems, but please send us specific mentions of the NAS report or George Will column that concern you the most. Members should be encouraged to write directly to local journalists/columnists.  Thank you for your patience. – Gail -

Code of Concern

Dear Washington Post Editors:

Conservative columnist George F. Will has taken public umbrage with the National Association of Social Workers’ (NASW) Code of Ethics and its mandate that adherents advocate for social justice. In his review of a National Association of Scholars report, Mr. Will ignores the context in which professional education and training occurs—for all professions.  This criticism misrepresents social work education and is a disservice to our members and the clients they serve. 

Social workers are committed to solving social problems while helping people improve their quality of life; fairness is a defining characteristic of the profession.  Like all citizens of a participatory democracy, it is critical for social work students to develop the skills necessary to advocate within available legal and political structures.

Social work students learn to use advocacy for the benefit of individuals, families and populations who are most vulnerable to the unresolved social problems of the day.  Services for veterans, children, chronically ill persons, the elderly, and struggling families are improved by social work advocacy.  

Members of NASW hold a diverse array of opinions on many social issues, including abortion and homosexuality as mentioned in Will’s column. However, professional social workers are united in their commitment to respecting the rights of clients to access services and expand options available to them. Social workers do not apologize for caring about people who are marginalized by society, nor do we apologize for holding members of our profession to high standards.

Elizabeth J. Clark, PhD, MSW , MPH

Executive Director

National Association of Social Workers

750 First Street NE Suite 700

Washington , DC 20002

bclark@...

Work: 202.336.8200

Cell: 202.997.1522