Because the first day in May is in 35 days, Minnesota’s American Indian Month, it is important to understand how Native American people can be best supported and understood.
Last week, a Connecticut school voted to change the name of its athletic team to The Indians. This school is close to the Mohegan Tribe who offered to pay the expenses related to the name change.
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This shows me how important the name change is to Native American citizens. It is vital that an individual’s dignity is respected when it comes to their quality of life. Social workers must incorporate this understanding into the work they do.
Social workers are required to take an oath regarding how they can best assist their clients, in accordance with the Social Work Code of Ethics. One is the ethical principle social workers should respect the dignity and worth of every person (NASW Code of Ethics).
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Social workers exist to improve social functioning, and overall well-being. It is a great way to show respect for individuals in your community by changing the name of an athletic team.
This is something that every community should do to ensure a safe and healthy environment for everyone.