Last year, the University of Alabama School of Social Work celebrated its 60th Anniversary. In March 2025, a year after the state's divisive concepts bill went into effect, the school hosted national training through its doctor of social work program featuring numerous sessions that were identity-based and promoted diversity, equity and inclusion or antiracism.
"The conference is designed for prospective, current and graduated DSW students as well as doctoral faculty and program directors," the training website reads. The 2026 event will be held in April. According to the school's website, presentation notices will go out at the end of this week.
"For six decades, our School has been dedicated to preparing passionate and skilled professional social workers who are committed to advancing human rights, equity, and social justice," Dr. Schnavia Smith Hatcher, the school's dean, said in an open letter celebrating the milestone of the school's 60th anniversary.
The social sciences program is currently required by state law via Section 16-47-170:
"There is hereby created and established a graduate school of social work in the State of Alabama, to be under the sole management, ownership and control of the Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama. This school shall provide not less than a two-year course of instruction in social work and related subjects on the graduate level. It shall be known as the School of Social Work of Alabama; however, the board of trustees of the university may change this name."
The UA School of Social Work is the only one of its kind in the state of Alabama that offers bachelor's, master's, doctor and PhD degrees in social work.
Numerous presentations chosen by the University focused on social justice and diversity, equity, and inclusion, including "Bridging the Gap: Advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for BIPOC Men in Social Work" to promote "black, indigenous, and people of color" in the field. A second presentation was, "Do you have that in Black? Considering Patient-Provider Racial Concordance in Social Work: a call to action."
Other presentations included "Transforming Competencies in Anti-Racism, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion: A Relational-Cultural Theory Approach in Social Work Education and Continuing Education."
At least two focused on "anti-racist" topics, such as "Cultivating Liberatory Classrooms: Strategies for Relational, Anti-racist Teaching in Social Work Education" and "School social work and anti-racist practices," while one was simply intended to "Preparing Social Workers to Address Racial Injury."
One presentation titled, "Healing Together: Navigating Shared Trauma, Self-Care, and Supervision for QTPOC Clinicians," centered on the needs of "queer, transgender, people of color," practitioners.
"This Ain’t Cupcake Island: Navigating False Hopes and Social Work’s Role with Undocumented Latinx Immigrants" was related to treating illegal immigrants.
Anti-Racism reappeared in a social justice block.
The doctor of social work program was in the news last year when one of their professors was included in a letter sent by the College Republicans asking school administrators to look into professors who posted immediately following Charlie Kirk's assassination.
In April 2024, Rahim Thawer, a "racialized,” anti-Zionist, "queer" Muslim from Canada, was accepted into the University of Alabama's Doctor of Social Work (DSW) program. Thawer shared a graphic showing his admission letter and offer letter for a three-year teaching contract, which indicated that out of 188 applicants, only 20 were admitted to the university's social work doctoral program.
Thawer reposted a message celebrating the life of a Hamas terrorist after his death. That message closed with a call to arms against Jewish people that said, "No words can capture the pride and renewed resolve that emerges from our heartbreak to resist them until their malignant ideology is gone from this earth."
The School of Social Work describes the program as "highly selective." The first class listed as a requirement: Advanced Theories in Oppression and Disparities.
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