The recently released study showing serious problems in the university's social work program, including professors who bully their students into going along with their beliefs, does show validity in her stance.
The word has gone nationwide with an Associated Press article running in various newspapers:
University President Mike Nietzel said last week that the school's faculty would have to fix the problems identified in the study or face closure of the program.
The review of the program found it had a "long history of inner conflict and dysfunction," including bullying by certain faculty, bias against students based on their religious beliefs and a lack of faculty productivity.
Mr. Nietzel called the report "as negative a review of an academic program as I have ever seen."
The review began after student Emily Brooker accused the school and a faculty member of violating her First Amendment rights when she refused to sign a letter supporting homosexual adoption last spring.
When she refused, Miss Brooker said, she was subjected to intense interrogation by faculty who questioned her beliefs about homosexuality.
Miss Brooker and the university settled the lawsuit. The university paid her attorney fees and cleared her academic record.
I think you have to understand how this works. If you have a religious belief that prevents you from working with and assisting some patients, you are not managing the separation that should be between personal and professional lives. The professor that fought to teach his student about the importance of managing this did the right thing, although the means went a little too far the principle is vital if you are interested in treating others and not yourself. sj
ReplyDeleteI have worked in this field for a long time, and sometimes have to support people's choices even though I may not personally agree, so I understand the seperation part, however she got raked over the coals for not signing a letter supporting something that she didn't believe in. This task crossed the line. It had nothing to do with supporting a person and everything to do with supporting a cause. She did the right thing, however the settlement where they pay all her college expenses and she got cash, was too much. Record stricken yes....cash settlement no....
ReplyDeleteDid you think to take a look at the evaluators of did you take them at face value as I did for a couple of days?
ReplyDeleteThey're both very heavily involved in working for various state government programs. It would appear they have political connections and it would appear they spend a considerable amount of time away from their "first job" doing outside consulting work.
Sowers is an author who would appear to be an expert on an impossibly vast knowledge of just about every aspect of social work that you could think of. She is also deeply involved in the multiple state Commission for Responsible Fatherhood which says that 70% of the children who are raised by their mother will be pregnant, dropouts, future prison inmates, insane, suicidal and or rapists. If you're a stepfather, you're good enough either. I agree fathers are extremely important, but the Virginia version of Commission for Responsible Fatherhood goes way overboard. I'm sure Florida, Tennessee, Ohio and all the other states on that train are much the same.
I'm not saying the college doesn't have problems, but I'm not sure I believe the evaluators either.
I'm going to expand a little on Ms. Sowers and her brainchild, Commission for Reponsible Fatherhood and Virginia for Fathers.
ReplyDeleteI didn't see anything that acknowledges the possibility that the father they are referring to could be abusive. I know someone who got out of an abusive marriage 20 years ago. On the few occasions she talked about him, you could still see the fear in her eyes. Having no father in the home is better than a father like that.
I also didn't see anything that indicated widows were somehow excepted. Therefore if your husband dies, your kids are doomed. So I guess I better make a phone call to a certain state university full scholarship student that I know and tell her to get rid of the honor grades she's been racking up.
Ms. Sowers' theory has a few holes in it.
I think you can care for people but not condone behavior. If someone had children with behavior concerns, you could help them. If someone took drugs and had their children removed from their home, you can help them create a plan to get their children back. Now add that those someones may be gay. You can still do the same thing, you can still help them. But this does not mean that you would necessarily politically advocate for gay and lesbian people to adopt.
ReplyDeleteA voice from Chronicles of Higher Education indicates that tolerance of all views is important by stating: WOW, You mock this student (Emily Brooker) for her lack of open mindedness what about yours? To be a social worker you do not have to have one set of views and values, that’s what makes the profession so great is we all come from different walks of life and have different beliefs. There are many of us out there that are social workers and Christians... a lot of us who may not support homosexual adoptions. This does not mean that we can not be helpful it just means were not going to help with that battle but there are several other areas we are out there fighting for. I hope you open your mind and understand that just because someone may have a different belief in one area then you does not make that person a BAD social worker.
I was right about the investigators. The whole thing was basically a set up. I would refer you to a News-leader article published later that might just allow you to see it from a slightly different angle.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.news-leader.com/article/20070520/COLUMNISTS20/101230034/0/columnists20/Riding+out+the+storm++MSU+s+Kauffman+gets+his+voice+back