The University of Southern California (USC) Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work has eliminated the word 'field' from its curriculum and practice. .“USC thinks this has something to do with white supremacy,” said University of San Diego law professor Gail Heriot in a tweet. .“Please stop.”.The letter said the word field will be removed from the curriculum and replaced with practicum. .“This work supports anti-racist social work practice by replacing language that could be considered anti-black or anti-immigrant in favour of inclusive language,” said the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work. .“Language can be powerful, and phrases such as ‘going into the field’ or ‘field work’ may have connotations for descendants of slavery and immigrant workers that are not benign.” .The USC School of Social Work said its goal is “not just to change language but to honor and acknowledge inclusion and reject white supremacy, anti-immigrant, and anti-blackness ideologies.”.It said words are powerful, but even more so is action. .The letter went on to say the school is committing to further align its actions, behaviours, and practices with anti-racism and anti-oppression, which require taking a close, critical look at the profession. It added the shift means working towards training social work students today who understand and embody social and racial justice. .The school said this is “the bedrock of our values and principles and we all need to hold each other accountable to do better in this regard.” .“We know that changing terminology can be challenging, and a complete transition will take some time, but we thank you in advance for joining us in this effort and for your patience as we transition,” it said.
