Resisting Political Backlash through Ethical Disobedience: A Roundtable for Critical Reflection and Solidarity

Background: The theme of the SSWR 2024 conference considers the next 30 years of social work science; however, the current local and state-level legislative attacks on critical race theory, LGBTQ+ communities, DEI efforts, and faculty tenure may dramatically diminish social work science's collective impact and potential to advance racial equity and social justice. Even within the field of academic social work, as the recent Affilia (April 2023) editorial powerfully states, "while lukewarm anti-racism might be tolerated or applauded," "bold challenges to racism" are not (Para. 1). The effects of these external and internal pressures are frightening. Yet, like the Affilia editors and other critical scholars across the country, the roundtable co-organizers advance the liberatory scholarship in P-12 and higher education in five states, including California, Florida, Tennessee, Texas, and Utah. The co-organizers bring over 20 years of collective experience to the roundtable as early career scholars conducting critical research with and for P-12 and higher education.

Objectives & Structure: The roundtable has four aims: 1. Compare the experiences of persisting as a critical social work scholar in increasingly challenging sociopolitical contexts. 2. Discuss the broader impact of the current attacks on educators and social workers in diverse educational settings. 3. Exchange strategies for reducing risks and resisting across diverse contexts. 4. Build solidarity to help fortify the collective commitment to social work knowledge that advances anti-racism and social justice.

First, the panelist will compare their lived experiences as critical social work scholars, illuminating differences and similarities. Next, panelists will discuss approaches to advancing their research despite the ongoing attacks on critical scholarship. The first panelist will discuss how they support teachers in early education to implement decolonizing frameworks for experiential learning in California. A panelist from Tennessee will describe how they conduct research to support mental health and equity for Black girls, as her use of critical theories has made her a target of the Professor Watchlist and racist/sexist public commentary. The third panelist will describe their adaptations to culturally responsive training for school mental health practitioners following the passing of Florida's anti-woke (HB7) bill. The fourth panelist will examine how advancing trauma-informed practices (e.g., restorative justice) in K-12 schools to address disproportionality is met with resistance because it is a "woke" curriculum. The final panelist will highlight the complexity of conducting health justice research and responding to students' needs within a Hispanic Serving Institution in Texas as legislators advance anti-LGBTQ+ bills, target critical theory in the curriculum, and seek to eliminate tenure. The roundtable concludes with an opportunity for the audience to reflect on how the current context impacts their scholarship and well-being and build critical consciousness and solidarity through dialogue.

Significance: In addition to engaging in reflection and community building during critical scholarship repression, this roundtable engages participants in two critical questions. (1) How can social work organizations effectively support critical scholars in politically repressive states? (2) How can social work scholars continue to advance decolonization and anti-oppressive practice and teaching in the face of repressive policies?