Smith College drops “Field” from Social Work Program over racist connotations.
Smith College School of Social Work Changes Name of Office of Field Education
The Smith College School of Social Work (SSW) in Northampton, Massachusetts has recently announced that they will no longer use the word “field” in their Office of Field Education due to their commitment to anti-racism. The SSW will now be calling it the Office of Practicum Learning.
Why the Change?
The SSW’s Toward Racial Justice Plan calls for reflection on the past and present to build a more inclusive future. The school’s Core Principles also encourage centering the experiences of Black, Indigenous, and other communities of color. The SSW recognizes that language is powerful and that phrases such as “going into the field” or “field work” may hold negative associations.
What Students Think
One student, Aina Endo, said, “I never really saw it that way before. Hearing about it now, I think the word has many different contexts and it’s the way that you use it that matters.”
What the SSW Hopes to Achieve
The SSW is committed to developing practicum experiences that embody anti-racist practices. The change in name is designed to engage in critical reflection and repair. The SSW recognizes that adopting a new name for their office can be challenging, but they hope that everyone will join them in this effort to be intentional and inclusive and to stay open and actively engage with change.
What the Spokesperson Says
A spokesperson from the SSW said that the change is only being made in the Smith College School of Social Work and is not university-wide. Smith College Director of Media Relations Carolyn McDaniel said, “The school specifically chose the word ‘practicum’ to better reflect the experience of faculty and students. Rather than a reactive moment, this is a proactive decision to bring the language of the school’s program more in line with its goals and intentions.”
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