It has come to some of our attentions that the Stephen F. Austin State University School of Social Work has an agreement with Buckner Children & Family Services and Azleway, which allows for social work students to be placed as unpaid interns at their facility.

Both organizations operate using discriminatory practices concerning LGBTQ+ persons that are in direct violation of the code of ethics established by the National Association of Social Work.

It is willfully hypocritical at best and is complicit at worst. Although students are afforded a very small amount of choice in these placements, it requires mentioning that students fear retaliation for not accepting placements, and therefore, it is reasonable to assume they would feel compelled to provide services to an agency which forces them to stand outside of their own personal values and the code of ethics instilled in them from their first day in the School of Social Work.

To be clear, this petition is a call to action. We request that this placement contract be nullified as to Buckner and Azleway agencies, specifically, and that no future organizations who operate with disparate treatment of LGBTQ+ persons be admitted to host interns, regardless of reason.

To further clarify- we are NOT requesting that ALL faith-based organizations be excluded from the internship program. Representatives of the school have stated that what we are asking is discrimination on the basis of religion. It is not! Again, we are not asking to exclude all faith-based organizations from collaborating with the School of Social Work. We are asking that ANY organization, secular or faith-based be vetted prior to acceptance into the program to ensure their organizational polices align with that of the NASW Code of Ethics. 

NASW Code of Ethic relevant excerpts: 

1.05 Cultural Competence

(d) Social workers should obtain education about and demonstrate understanding of the nature of social diversity and oppression with respect to race, ethnicity, national origin, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, political belief, religion, immigration status, and mental or physical ability.

4.02 Discrimination
Social workers should not practice, condone, facilitate, or collaborate with any form of discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, political belief, religion, immigration status, or mental or physical ability.

4.03 Private Conduct
Social workers should not permit their private conduct to interfere with their ability to fulfill their professional responsibilities.

6.01 Social Welfare
Social workers should promote the general welfare of society, from local to global levels, and the development of people, their communities, and their environments. Social workers should advocate for living conditions conducive to the fulfillment of basic human needs and should promote social, economic, political, and cultural values and institutions that are compatible with the realization of social justice.

6.02 Public Participation
Social workers should facilitate informed participation by the public in shaping social policies and institutions.

6.04 Social and Political Action
(a) Social workers should engage in social and political action that seeks to ensure that all people have equal access to the resources, employment, services, and opportunities they require to meet their basic human needs and to develop fully. Social workers should be aware of the impact of the political arena on practice and should advocate for changes in policy and legislation to improve social conditions in order to meet basic human needs and promote social justice.

(b) Social workers should act to expand choice and opportunity for all people, with special regard for vulnerable, disadvantaged, oppressed, and exploited people and groups.

(c) Social workers should promote conditions that encourage respect for cultural and social diversity within the United States and globally. Social workers should promote policies and practices that demonstrate respect for difference, support the expansion of cultural knowledge and resources, advocate for programs and institutions that demonstrate cultural competence, and promote policies that safeguard the rights of and confirm equity and social justice for all people.

(d) Social workers should act to prevent and eliminate domination of, exploitation of, and discrimination against any person, group, or class on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, political belief, religion, immigration status, or mental or physical ability.