NASW Illinois supports Chicago’s TU call for more school social workers.

In the wake of the Chicago’s Teacher’s Union call for more social workers in school, the NASW IL is calling for an improvement in the ratio between student body numbers and social workers on staff in schools. This is not a new issue. The Longwood school district here on Long Island, NY tried to remove social work positions recently as well.

School district’s are removing social work positions to save on cost. Social workers are being replaced with guidance counselors who are not required to meet the strict educational requirements of a social work education. This includes training in substance abuse and suicide. Guidance counselor’s main job is support of the student academically, they are especially under-equipped to deal with crisis management.

This trend is another indication that the schools are not concerned with the entire student, but only their grades. They have forgotten that education is not merely the recitation of facts, but understanding the depth and context of issues. If the depth and the context of the students lives are not seen as a priority, how will they ever come to understand the similar aspects in the macro world.