THE BOYS OF BARAKA

Mural project Devon Brown participated in after his return from the Baraka School

This week I will focus my blog on the documentary film "The Boys of Baraka."  From a social work perspective, there were some things that very much concerned me about the way the news that the boys would not have the opportunity to continue at the school for a second year was presented.  Where were the options for alternatives to just returning them to their zone schools?  Where was the care and concern for what would happen to these young men if/when thrown back into their neighborhood environments long-term?  As social workers, we are trained through our education and required by the NASW (National Association of Social Workers) to uphold six ethical principles:  Service, Social Justice, Dignity and Worth of the Person, Importance of Human Relationships, Integrity, and Competence.

In my opinion, the following three ethical principles were not followed by The Baraka School's administration.  Are educators not held to a similar set of ethical principles?  Does this type of training occur as part of their education?  If not, why?

Value: Social Justice
Ethical Principle: Social workers challenge social injustice.
Social workers pursue social change, particularly with and on behalf of vulnerable and oppressed individuals and groups of people. Social workers’ social change efforts are focused primarily on issues of poverty, unemployment, discrimination, and other forms of social injustice. These activities seek to promote sensitivity to and knowledge about oppression and cultural and ethnic diversity. Social workers strive to ensure access to needed information, services, and resources; equality of opportunity; and meaningful participation in decision making for all people.

Value: Dignity and Worth of the Person
Ethical Principle: Social workers respect the inherent dignity and worth of the person.
Social workers treat each person in a caring and respectful fashion, mindful of individual differences and cultural and ethnic diversity. Social workers promote clients’ socially responsible self­-determination. Social workers seek to enhance clients’ capacity and opportunity to change and to address their own needs. Social workers are cognizant of their dual responsibility to clients and to the broader society. They seek to resolve conflicts between clients’ interests and the broader society’s interests in a socially responsible manner consistent with the values, ethical principles, and ethical standards of the profession.

Value: Importance of Human Relationships
Ethical Principle: Social workers recognize the central importance of human relationships.
Social workers understand that relationships between and among people are an important vehicle for change. Social workers engage people as partners in the helping process. Social workers seek to strengthen relationships among people in a purposeful effort to promote, restore, maintain, and enhance the well­-being of individuals, families, social groups, organizations, and communities.

I have posted a link below to a Point of View Discussion Guide based around "The Boys of Baraka" documentary.  It was created to use as an outreach tool for giving interested groups the opportunity for discussion about school improvement and educational policy.  The Discussion Prompts raise excellent questions to consider.

LINKS

Link to the Point of View Discussion Guide I discussed in my blog: http://www.pbs.org/pov/film-files/pov_boysofbaraka_guide_action_discussion_file_0.pdf

Link to the article from Washington, D.C.'s Capital Community News in which it shares the story of the mural that Devon Brown helped create:  http://www.hillrag.com/CCN_Website09/publicationhtml/papers/EOR/0110/Ward7Metamorphosis.html

Link to an article from the PR Newswire website in which Bill Cosby encourages action through National School Choice Week:  http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bill-cosby-urges-parents-to-get-involved-in-childrens-education-encourages-participation-in-national-school-choice-week-114275819.html