Deep breath. This is my first diary, and I’m a little nervous. But I’m a social worker, and social workers solve problems even when it’s scary. My family also goes back generations in Arizona. Oh, and I was an educator for a long time before I switched to social work.
To the point: I have seen nothing from the National Association of Social Workers, or Arizona State University denouncing the problematic presence of Kyrsten Sinema teaching social work at a publicly funded university. She was a heck of an opportunity for social work students to learn macro work. She even teaches about fundraising! But now I think she is exactly the wrong sort of person—unethical and immoral—to be shaping new social workers. ASU is even cynically hosting a social workers filibuster workshop. But it’s weak tea unless ASU and the College of Social Work drops Sinema from its teaching roster.
The National Association of Social Workers touts social workers in legislation. It also calls for filibuster reform and voting rights. There was a weak-tea letter from leadership that was so weak that I hadn’t heard about until I set out to write this article. But no where has it come out swinging. I’ve been a member since 2016, and it can be a really great organization, especially for students. Let’s urge it to be even better.
So I would like to encourage us at DKos to start.
- Social Workers! Tell the NASW to come out swinging against Sinema’s influence on young social workers here: membership@socialworkers.org
- Social workers can also contact the accrediting body for social work programs info@cswe.org or participate in the discussion boards here.
- Social workers and those who love them (colleagues in healthcare, mental health, and casework along with those who have been aided by social workers in the past): Tell ASU College of Social Work what you think of their faculty choices here.
- Military-Connected people: Did you know that ASU runs many of the distance ed “schools” that military support in order to promote to the next rank? Let ASU know how you feel here: mailto:AU_eSchool_Support@asu.edu
- Alumni: Here is a contact page just for you!
- Arizonans: You can contact the office of ASU president here.
