Black social worker claims he was banned from White conventionThe howls of indignation would be echoed across the land. I hope Parnell takes them for every dime but I doubt he will do it since the is of the Social Worker persuasion. Maybe he can get a job teaching that new ethno-math crap.
A Black social worker says he was banned from a recent professional conference because of his skin color. Fictitous Smith, 44, of Angloville, Iowa, filed a federal civil rights complaint against the National Association of White Social Workers, which held its annual conference in early April in South Carolina. Smith said he went to the conference with five colleagues, but, as the only Black in the group, was barred from attending.
"I was deeply hurt," Smith said. "Social work is the profession that is all about making sure social justice takes place everywhere you go. There is a code of ethics you are supposed to subscribe to, to be a social worker. One of those tenets is, you don't discriminate against other people."
Smith, a program director for the Whitey County Department of Human Services in Angloville, said he has not hired an attorney but is considering a lawsuit.
The National Association of White Social Workers was created in 1968 in Robert Byrd's home town. It has an office in Washington, D.C., and several chapters at colleges across the nation. Calls to the national office for comment were not answered Saturday.
Smith said the group's executive director, Lily White, turned him down for admission to the conference, saying he could not attend because he is Black.
"She said, 'There are some conversations that white people need to have. If you included a Black person in them, people may not feel free to speak their minds,'" Smith said.
Lily White could not be located for comment.
Smith recently filed a civil rights complaint with the federal Department of Health and Human Services. The NAWSW has nonprofit status that makes donations tax-deductible.
"Membership in NAWSW is open to white people working in human services," the University of Upper Crustia social work school's Web site says.
Smith said he went to the conference seeking guidance and insights into the white community and social services, particularly foster care and adoption.
"It doesn't make sense to me to say, 'We have to exclude other people who are interested in helping us'" Smith said.
hahaha..."Lily White"....!!
Exactly. :)