The soft bigotry of low expectations on display with DC social workers test.

[FAUlty Gator]

DC considers tossing social work exam over concerns it fails too many people of color​

The D.C. Council is considering doing away with the exam requirement for certain types of social workers over concerns of racial bias.

Citing a need to fill social worker positions in the District, a bill from Councilman Robert White would eliminate the exam for entry and masters-level licensure applicants, whose work must still be supervised.

The move comes as the nation grapples with a shortage of social workers, but also as scores of social workers decry licensure exams for which data show people of color fail at higher rates than white counterparts.

“What the exam is doing is de-diversifying the profession,” said Catholic University professor Michael Massey, who said for years he's observed too many students of color succeed in class but fail the licensure exam.

The multiple choice tests, which ask social workers what they'd do in hypothetical scenarios, aren’t made public. But Massey says the exam fails to capture cultural nuances and real world experience and marks some responses as wrong that would be reasonable in practice.

As a result, “We have great social workers of color who came to social work schools to serve their communities, and they're not being allowed to do it despite rigorous preparation at school,” he said.

Others say it’s not the exam – but systemic educational challenges leading up to it – that are the issue, and defend it as necessary to ensure competence in the field.

DC considers tossing social work exam over concerns it fails too many people of color

The D.C. Council is considering doing away with the exam requirement for certain types of social workers over concerns of racial bias.

www.nbcwashington.com

 

[Formerly Rockymtnole]

Social work seems like one area that wouldn’t necessarily benefit from strict, exam-based evaluations.

 

[FAUlty Gator]

Social work seems like one area that wouldn’t necessarily benefit from strict, exam-based evaluations.

Sounds like the test is situational based and testing knowledge of protocol. Probably not the worst thing to have to know.

 

[Formerly Rockymtnole]

Sounds like the test is situational based and testing knowledge of protocol. Probably not the worst thing to have to know.

I admit I have no idea. But the professor seems to think it’d be a good step.

My point is it’s not like we’re talking air traffic controllers here.

 

[NDallasRuss]

Seems like there's a significant shortage of social workers and they could either increase the pay to get more, better applicants, or lower the bar to entry, to just fill the positions. I'm not real surprised they went with the solution that didn't cost any more money.

 

[FAUlty Gator]

I admit I have no idea. But the professor seems to think it’d be a good step.

My point is it’s not like we’re talking air traffic controllers here.

I get it. However, getting rid of a test because you don't think it's needed and getting rid of a test because you don't like the achievement of a certain demographic are two different things. This is nothing new, mind you and I don't think it will cause any major issue. Just pointing out an example of "equity" at work.

 

[OhAdam]

Lol at opee. Did you read the article you posted?

 

[FAUlty Gator]

Lol at opee. Did you read the article you posted?

Yes, Rudy, I did. It reads like an Onion article. No shocker it sent up your bat signal. This equity at all costs nonsense is right in your wheelhouse.

 

[theiacowtipper]

Writing exams is tough. Writing exams that test more than rote didactic knowledge is even tougher. Writing valid exams that apply to “cultural experiences and real work scenarios” might be impossible.

 

[OhAdam]

Yes, Rudy, I did. It reads like an Onion article. No shocker it sent up your bat signal. This equity at all costs nonsense is right in your wheelhouse.

Doubling down. Seriously, it’s right there in the article.

 

[FAUlty Gator]

Doubling down. Seriously, it’s right there in the article.

Yeah, Rudy, I see it. Suddenly the important test isn't that important. We get it. Your new name brings all the same old victimy stuff with it. Stay with it.

 

[desihawk]

not about social workers per se but the willy nilly elimination of test criteria is terrifying...scary to contemplate the caliber of say the future doctors of america...in 10 years we'll all be seeking out the oldest available bastards who qualified when tests were still a thing.

 

[hawkbirch]

I work with social workers all day every day. There are very few black and white absolutes in that field. I struggle to understand how a multiple choice exam would even work for a field where everything is shades of gray out of necessity. What works for one family at this point won't work for another and vice versa. Change one little fact and it's an entirely different scenario.

 

[Jim Grizzly]

I get it. However, getting rid of a test because you don't think it's needed and getting rid of a test because you don't like the achievement of a certain demographic are two different things. This is nothing new, mind you and I don't think it will cause any major issue. Just pointing out an example of "equity" at work.

Using data to inform decision-making isn't a bad thing. Asking hypothetical questions on a multiple-choice exam is not the best practice. Seems like the prudent thing to do would be to redesign the exam, but alas, that would cost money.

 

[Hoosierhawkeye]

I get it. However, getting rid of a test because you don't think it's needed and getting rid of a test because you don't like the achievement of a certain demographic are two different things. This is nothing new, mind you and I don't think it will cause any major issue. Just pointing out an example of "equity" at work.

Seems like this is the crux of the issue.

But Massey says the exam fails to capture cultural nuances and real world experience and marks some responses as wrong that would be reasonable in practice.

 

[Scruddy]

Having dated a social worker for a number of years i will say that they're pushed to spend wayyyyyy more time in school than is needed (and let's be real, higher education is not what it used to be). They're racking up 100k plus in debt to earn less than 45k per year for life. Some of them have masters degrees and will never break 60k annually. The liberalism in higher education absolutely rubs off on people who spend so much time there. It shouldn't be surprising that leftist views of race would be ingrained into their work practices tbh.

 

[NDallasRuss]

Having dated a social worker for a number of years i will say that they're pushed to spend wayyyyyy more time in school than is needed (and let's be real, higher education is not what it used to be). They're racking up 100k plus in debt to earn less than 45k per year for life. Some of them have masters degrees and will never break 60k annually. The liberalism in higher education absolutely rubs off on people who spend so much time there. It shouldn't be surprising that leftist views of race would be ingrained into their work practices tbh.

I think that's the result of a set of people who feel they need to go to a high-end private school to get a degree that's largely a check-box exercise, and where the "prestige" of the school doesn't matter at all.

You don't need to go to Stanford to get a social work degree when a degree from Southeastern Oklahoma State university would get you the same job and the same money.

 

[Scruddy]

I think that's the result of a set of people who feel they need to go to a high-end private school to get a degree that's largely a check-box exercise, and where the "prestige" of the school doesn't matter at all.

You don't need to go to Stanford to get a social work degree when a degree from Southeastern Oklahoma State university would get you the same job and the same money.

Agreed 100%. Some professions simply don't require a "premium" degree, but we are still a very credentialist society. I do think the pendulum is finally swinging back a little bit on that front now though, maybe because the cost of living has gone up so much that it's become almost a necessity.

 

[FAUlty Gator]

I think that's the result of a set of people who feel they need to go to a high-end private school to get a degree that's largely a check-box exercise, and where the "prestige" of the school doesn't matter at all.

You don't need to go to Stanford to get a social work degree when a degree from Southeastern Oklahoma State university would get you the same job and the same money.

Yup. Getting a sociology degree from Stanford is like going to Louis Vuitton to buy paper clips.

 

[OhAdam]

Yeah, Rudy, I see it. Suddenly the important test isn't that important. We get it. Your new name brings all the same old victimy stuff with it. Stay with it.

Uhhhh, I think you have this backwards, the victimy thing. And now I know you don't get it, because you're referencing the wrong snippet.

 

[FAUlty Gator]

Uhhhh, I think you have this backwards, the victimy thing. And now I know you don't get it, because you're referencing the wrong snippet.

OhRudy!

 

[OhAdam]

OhRudy!

Think carefully about this excerpt:

“What the exam is doing is de-diversifying the profession,” said Catholic University professor Michael Massey, who said for years he's observed too many students of color succeed in class but fail the licensure exam.​

​

The multiple choice tests, which ask social workers what they'd do in hypothetical scenarios, aren’t made public. But Massey says the exam fails to capture cultural nuances and real world experience and marks some responses as wrong that would be reasonable in practice.​

​

As a result, “We have great social workers of color who came to social work schools to serve their communities, and they're not being allowed to do it despite rigorous preparation at school,” he said.​

​

Now, the supremacist says, "assimilate." The non-supremacist says, "maybe the test is flawed," or, even more benign, "let's take a closer look at this."

 

[onlyTheObvious]

Guessing they failed the pronoun section.

 

[tarheelbybirth]

Sounds like the test is situational based and testing knowledge of protocol. Probably not the worst thing to have to know.

Citing a need to fill social worker positions in the District, a bill from Councilman Robert White would eliminate the exam for entry and masters-level licensure applicants, whose work must still be supervised.

It would be eliminated for those whose work is still being supervised. It's right there in the article you claim to have read. What's the problem?

 

[Tenacious E]

not about social workers per se but the willy nilly elimination of test criteria is terrifying...scary to contemplate the caliber of say the future doctors of america...in 10 years we'll all be seeking out the oldest available bastards who qualified when tests were still a thing.

This story has no application to doctors, lawyers, dentists, engineers, nurses, PAs, etc.