NASW Supports Supreme Court Decisions on Affirmative Action

The Court’s decision adopts a position that is fair to applicants, but works to enlarge the pool of applicants for consideration without assigning a specific weight to racial factors. This is consistent with social work values and commitment to advocacy on behalf of historically oppressed people,” says Terry Mizrahi, PhD, president of NASW. “The Association is pleased with the Court’s clarification that student body diversity is a compelling government interest,” she adds.

Social workers have long supported affirmative action as a means of addressing discrimination still prevalent in today’s society. While progress has been made as a result of civil rights action and legislation—discriminatory habits, customs, and attitudes do not change easily. Opportunities in education, employment, and housing remain hampered. Affirmative action plans and policies continue to be needed in a variety of contexts to assist women and historically disadvantaged racial and ethnic groups. The intent of affirmative action—to lessen the impact of past discrimination and ensure inclusion in present day opportunities—continues to be a high priority for social workers.

NASW members work to advance both future and present-day parity, and believe that the goals of programs like affirmative action should be to provide access to qualified individuals, who either historically or directly have been denied opportunities because of race, gender, ethnicity, or economic status, while preventing the recurrence of discrimination.

For more information on social work’s commitment to affirmative action, please contact NASW Communications at 202-336-8236 or NASW General Counsel at 202-336-8217.

Related Articles and Resources

The National Association of Social Workers (NASW), in Washington, DC, is the largest membership organization of professional social workers with 145,000 members. It promotes, develops and protects the practice of social work and social workers. NASW also seeks to enhance the well being of individuals, families and communities through its work and advocacy.

The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) is the national association of social work education programs and individuals that ensure and enhance the quality of social work education for a professional practice that promotes individual, family, and community well being, and social and economic justice.

The Group for the Advancement of Doctoral Education (GADE) is comprised of directors of established social work or social welfare doctoral programs located in accredited universities. It provides a forum for sharing ideas and strategies, and for strengthening member’s efforts at enhancing doctoral education.

The National Association of Deans and Directors of Schools of Social Work (NADD) focuses on advancing excellence and interests of social work education, educating the general public as the needs of social work education, encourages financial support and research for social work education, and provides a forum for members to discuss problems and opportunities in social work education.

The Association of Baccalaureate Social Work Program Directors, Inc. (BPD) is an association of BSW program administrators, faculty, field directors, and others dedicated to the promotion of excellence in baccalaureate social work education.