Creating Safe & Welcoming Schools With A Social Work School Reform Approach: Ron Astor’s AASWSW Induction Lecture
Editor's Note: Periodically on SSWN we like to publish key researchers, practitioners and policymakers sharing what they know via a webinar, lecture, or other format. Today I'm honored to present a just-released recording of a lecture that was given by UCLA's Dr. Ron Astor at the 2020 Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR) in January 2020, "Safe & Welcoming Schools: Preventing Bullying and Promoting Well-Being Worldwide Through a Social Work School Reform Approach." It's been a privilege to work closely with Ron on a variety of projects related to promoting SSW research, and I am happy to have him on our site again (he was on our site before sharing his work on reducing weapons in schools last June, link here).
This invocation talk at SSWR in January 2020 for the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare addresses School Safety as a Social Work School Reform Issue. Rather than programs alone, I advocate that we take a social work approach the focuses on the purpose of schools. Schools are not only for academics. From a social work perspective they ought to address inequality, how to engage in a civil society, democracy, and how to create A+ human beings. Schools purpose could focus on creating a more optimal and just society. School Safety systems should be addressed through these values, ultimately changing the role of the school to include our social work goals and grand challenges.
More info on Ron Astor's work here, and his Amazon page to find all the books he references in his talk is here. Thanks as always Ron for your amazing leadership and vision as a school social work researcher.
