A Message from Dean Martell Teasley
On Thursday, March 18, Dean Martell Teasley shared the following message with the students, faculty, and staff of the University of Utah College of Social Work.
As you all know, there were senseless and horrific acts of violence against members of our Asian American community that took place in Atlanta, GA on March 16th. Six of the people involved were of Asian descent and seven of the eight people gunned-down were women. Media reports of violence again Asian Americans and women are extremely concerning, and appear to be growing. This pattern in our society is alarming and further reflects our need to be vigilant in stamping out occurrences and practices that lead to violence. As always, such acts are of concern to the social work profession, as we work with students who may struggle to understand why such events occur. Of course, there is no justification for such acts and they reflect poorly on our national character, as well as demonstrate that as a nation we have far to go in creating a fully inclusive democracy where people are free to be who they are, and women are not taken for granted, demeaned, objectified, sexually harassed, and considered expendable.
The College of Social Work repudiates violence against Asian Americans and women. We further acknowledge the pain and suffering that this has caused a great many people, particularly members of Asian American communities and women. Sadly, these events inform our resolve to continue to promote diversity, inclusion, and equity within our College, the social work profession, and the wider society. We will continue to identify and promote antiracism practices within the CSW in teaching and learning, research, community engagement, and our interactions with one another.
Sincerely,
Martell Teasley, PhD, MSW
Dean and Professor
President of the National Association of Deans and Directors of Schools of Social
Work