Dr. Chelsea Smith and Steve dive into the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), tracing its roots from Jane Addams’ Hull House to its 1955 formation. Explore how NASW’s Code of Ethics, now focused on racial justice, shapes licensure, education, and advocacy. Is it a force for justice or a gatekeeper? Hear raw Pulse of the People stories on immigration policy and workplace ideology clashes. Question NASW’s transparency and inclusivity with us. 

Share your story anonymously (https://forms.office.com/r/784N6C9JGW) OR as a guest (https://forms.office.com/r/T5UPFDU3RT). 

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#PeaceThroughHonesty #PulseOfThePeople 

PoliSocial Pulse Episode #6: Real Talk with a Conservative Social Worker - From my Texas barn office, I, Dr. Chelsea Smith, DSW, LMSW, LCDC, host my first guest episode with Steve, a Chicago-area social worker, on a chill Saturday afternoon. In a raw, unfiltered convo, we tackle the long-overdue, often taboo intersection of conservative values and social work’s gritty realities. With humor, heart, and straight-up honesty, we shatter stereotypes, setting the stage for Steve’s many return episodes to pulse with the people’s truth.

Thank you for sharing your honest pulse, Steve!

🎙️ PoliSocial Pulse—Peace through honesty, Pulse of the People—unpacks 60 years of NASW sidelining conservatives and fraying social work. Dr. Chelsea R. Smith brings facts, receipts, and a unifying call: who’s caring for us?

🌍 YOUR Voice Counts! Join us on Zoom—share your truth to heal social work. Submit via MS Forms: name, email, topics, contact prefs, credentials (optional). Sign a release—no client/coworker names; keep it uplifting, insightful. Submit now: https://forms.office.com/r/8sw7HrWSqY #PeaceThroughHonesty

🔊 Anonymous Option! No more silence—share stories safely, anytime. Submit via MS Forms: your story (e.g., ethics, silencing), credentials (optional), consent (Yes/No). Identity stays confidential—no names, just healing insight. Submit now: https://forms.office.com/r/rfTjCA9rkW #PulseOfThePeople

References:

• Apgar, D., & Parada, C. (2022). Social Work Education and Practice. Pp. 881-889.
• Buila, S. (2010). NASW Code of Ethics. Pp. 2-7.
• Demircali, B. (2024). Political Representation in Social Work. P. 978.
• Dickinson, N. S. (2004). Consensus and Conflict in Social Work. Pp. 17-21.
• Dupper, D. (2012). Mismatch in Care.
• Hoefer, R., et al. (2019). Activism in Social Work. Pp. 4-12.
• Hricova, M. (2024). Cross-Professional Ethics. Pp. 6-8.
• Ishkanian, A. (2022). Social Movements and Constraints. Pp. 585-586.
• Kindler, T. (2022). Ideological Framing in Social Work.
• Kozlowski, J. (2017). Self-Censorship in Social Work Education.
• Lane, S. R., & Humphreys, N. A. (2011). Social Workers in Politics. P. 234.
• Maryland BSWE. (2007). Consent Order: Anthony Estreet.
• PACER. (2024). Case 1:24-cv-02689.
• Reamer, F. G. (2005). Social Work Values and Ethics. Pp. 25-30.
• Reamer, F. G. (2019). Ethics in Social Work Leadership.
• Reamer, F. G. (2022). Ethical Humility in Social Work. Pp. 156-170.
• Rosenwald, D. (2012). Diversity in Social Work Education. Pp. 141-151.
• Rosenwald, D., & Naranjo, A. (2022). Funding Equity in Social Work. P. 788.
• Scanlon, E., et al. (2006). NASW State Chapters. Pp. 46-52.
• Specht, H., & Courtney, M. (1994). Unfaithful Angels.
• Valutis, S., & Rubin, D. (2016). Political Diversity in Social Work. P. 15.

Dr. Chelsea Smith digs into NASW’s 60-year chokehold on conservative voices in social work, exposing a field fractured by fear and hypocrisy. From students silenced in classrooms to NASW CEO Anthony Estreet’s felony-laden tenure—verified on Maryland’s license site—NASW’s vague ethics enable exclusion while preaching diversity. This week, Democrats turned on Schumer for backing Trump’s funding bill, proving even DEI champs can’t handle dissent. With hard evidence and a call to heal, Chelsea unpacks the mess hurting social work professionals, clients, the profession, and society, and offers a path forward. Subscribe for truth—peace through honesty starts here.

• Sources:
• Preferra Lawsuit: 1:24-cv-02689, FAC ¶39 (PACER, pacer.uscourts.gov)
• Estreet 2007 Consent Order: Maryland BSWE (health.maryland.gov/bswe/Documents/Orders/Estreet-1220.pdf)
• Maryland License Verification: mdbnc.health.maryland.gov; Public Orders: health.maryland.gov/bswe/Pages/PublicOrders.aspx
• Maryland Judiciary Case Search: casesearch.courts.state.md.us
• NASW FAQ: socialworkers.org/News/Facts/Preferra-Lawsuit
• NASW Statement: “Statement of support for CEO Dr. Anthony Estreet regarding recent social media activity,” 9/27/24 (socialworkers.org/News/News-Releases/ID/2957)
• Research: Kozlowski 2017, Rosenwald 2006, Lombard & Viviers 2020 (pp. 2263-2272)
• Schumer Backlash: AP, CNN, NBC, X posts (March 14-20, 2025)
• Links:
• Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/1RVf9c2o60emKog3SJAQd1
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/polisocialpulse

Dr. Chelsea Smith launches a fearless 3-part series exposing NASW’s 60+ year squeeze on conservatives in social work. Episode 1, ‘The Vanishing Conservative,’ unveils why they’re fading—shrunk by a liberal, socialist, globalist machine clashing with NASW’s diversity promise. From a century without GOP in Congress to a profession turned hostile, Smith’s 2024 research and decades of evidence reveal a systemic monopoly locking conservatives out. This isn’t just their story—it’s every social worker’s. Dive into this raw, unfiltered truth and rethink what shapes our field. Available now—brace for a wake-up call!

References

Abrams, L. S., & Moio, J. A. (2009). Critical race theory and the cultural competence dilemma in social work education. Journal of Social Work Education, 45(2), 245–261. https://doi.org/10.5175/JSWE.2009.200700109

Davis, K. G., McCartan, K., & Nixon, J. (2020). Political diversity among student affairs professionals: Implications for campus climate. Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice, 57(3), 298–312.

Farber, N. (2023). The dystopian world of social work education. Academic Questions, 36(4), 17–25. https://doi.org/10.51845/36.4.5

Galper, J. H. (1980). Social work practice: A radical perspective. Prentice-Hall.

Hodge, D. R. (2018). Social work’s commitment to social justice and social welfare: A closer look at political ideology. Journal of Social Work Values and Ethics, 15(2), 5–16.

Kindler, T., & Kulke, D. (2022). Politicized social work future: A quantitative study comparing social work students’ voluntary political participation in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. European Journal of Social Work, 25(4), 655–667. https://doi.org/10.1080/13691457.2021.1977254

Lerner, J. E. (2020). “Social workers can’t be Republicans”: Engaging conservative students in the classroom. Journal of Social Work Education, 56(1), 56–67. https://doi.org/10.1080/10437797.2019.1642274

National Association of Social Workers. (2021). Social work speaks: National Association of Social Workers policy statements, 2021–2023 (12th ed.). NASW Press.

Reamer, F. G. (2019, May/June). Eye on ethics: When politics enters the room. Social Work Today, 19(3), 30. https://www.socialworktoday.com/archive/MJ19p30.shtml

Reisch, M., & Andrews, J. (2002). The road not taken: A history of radical social work in the United States. Brunner-Routledge.

Ritter, J. A. (2008). Political ideology and social work: Does liberalism matter? Journal of Policy Practice, 7(4), 262–279. https://doi.org/10.1080/15588740802282818

Rosenwald, M. (2006). Exploring the political diversity of social workers. Social Work Research, 30(2), 121–126. https://www.jstor.org/stable/42659620

Rosenwald, M., & Spivack, J. L. (2021). The political ideologies of social workers: A systematic review. Journal of Social Work, 21(5), 1132–1152.

Smith, C. R. (2024). PoliSocial matters: A political social work podcast series (Publication No. TBD) [Doctoral dissertation, Simmons University]. Institutional Repository (if available) or personal archive.

Specht, H., & Courtney, M. E. (1994). Unfaithful angels: How social work has abandoned its mission. Free Press.

Join Dr. Chelsea Smith—conservative social worker, big-picture thinker, and Texas firecracker—on Polisocial Pulse: Blaze of Beliefs: Social Work’s Untold Fight. We’re tearing into the wild heart of social work, busting the myth it’s all one-sided. From the smoky slums of 1890s Chicago—where gritty pioneers like Jane Addams fought for their neighbors—to today’s drift toward handouts over grit, Chelsea digs into why social work’s losing its edge. With real folks—rural moms, vets, workers—slipping through the cracks and voices like hers getting hushed, she’s lighting a spark: every belief, from conservative to liberal, fuels our fight. Packed with hard-hitting facts—like 40% lean one way, 17% want others out—and a call to rise, this episode’s a wake-up roar. Can social work reclaim its soul? Strap in—Chelsea’s got the fire to find out!

References:

Buila, S. M. (2010). The NASW Code of Ethics under attack: A manifestation of the culture war within the profession of social work. Journal of Social Work Values and Ethics, 7(2), 1-8.  

Cawvey, M. (2017). Political ideology and social work practice: An exploration of conservative perspectives [Unpublished manuscript or dissertation].  

Fazzi, L., & Nothdurfter, U. (2021). Right-wing populism and social work: A qualitative study of Italian social workers’ political attitudes. British Journal of Social Work, 51(7), 2381-2398. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcab123  

Kindler, T. (2022). Political engagement in social work: A comparative analysis of U.S. and Swiss social workers. Journal of Policy Practice and Research, 3(2), 118-131.  

Ringstad, R. (2014). Political diversity among social work students: A longitudinal study of ideological trends. Social Work Education, 33(6), 723-738.  

Rosenwald, M. (2006). Exploring the Political Diversity of Social Workers. Social Work

         Research, 30(2), 121-126. https://www.jstor.org/stable/42659620 

Rosenwald, M. (2006). A Part Versus Apart: The Relationship Between Social Workers’ Political Ideology and Their Professional Affiliation. Journal of Social Work Values and Ethics, 3(2), 61-77.

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Email:[email protected]

Referenced Literature by Mitchell Rosenwald:

Rosenwald, M. (2006). Exploring the Political Diversity of Social Workers. Social Work

         Research, 30(2), 121-126. https://www.jstor.org/stable/42659620

Rosenwald, M. (2006). A Part Versus Apart: The Relationship Between Social Workers’ Political Ideology and Their Professional Affiliation. Journal of Social Work Values and Ethics, 3(2), 61-77.

Rosenwald, M., & Naranjo, F. A. (2022). The Other Side of the Dais: Strategies for Social Workers Vying to Serve in Public Office. Advances in Social Work, 22(2), 779–796. https://doi-org.ezproxy.simmons.edu/10.18060/24901