NASW Opposes Bush Faith-Based Executive Order
Discrimination Should Not Be Funded By Taxpayers
WASHINGTON—The
National Association of Social Workers (NASW) opposes President
Bush’s Executive Order that will allow federal agencies to
award contracts to faith-based organizations that discriminate
in their hiring process based upon religious affiliation,
marital status, or sexual orientation.
The social
work profession and social workers themselves have a long
history of providing services within religious institutions.
However, President Bush’s recent Executive Order may pose
challenges to professional social workers nationwide due to
ethical constraints.
Recently,
NASW Executive Director, Elizabeth J. Clark, PhD, ACSW, MPH
met with James Towey—Director of the White House Office of
Faith-Based and Community Initiatives—and stressed the importance
of having a professionally trained mental health workforce;
providing accountability; supporting equal access to services;
guaranteeing separation of church and state; and maintaining
government responsibility within any faith-based initiative.
According
to Clark, “Social work has its roots in charitable-voluntary
agencies and social workers have long been involved at various
levels of these organizations, however, any public-private
partnership in social services must uphold fundamental principles
of social service delivery.”
Some of
those fundamental principles include strongly supporting the
constitutional principle of separation of church and state.
NASW maintains that the expression of religious beliefs is
a personal and private matter that should neither be constrained
nor promoted by the government in any way. NASW opposes the
use of tax policy, administrative regulations, or the distribution
of government funds to support religion in any manner. Within
the faith-based initiative, safeguards must be implemented
to assure that services are appropriately coordinated, provided
by qualified individuals and without requirements for religious
observance. Provisions should also be included that prohibit
discriminatory practices in agency employment and in access
to services.
Media
Outlets: For more information about the NASW position on the
White House Faith-Based Initiative, please contact NASW Public
Affairs at 202-336-8228 or media@naswdc.org.
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