“Saying the Quiet Part Out Loud”

Abstract

Teaching and learning are influenced by the broader social environment. Discrimination based on race, ethnicity, gender, and other forms of social identity is a phenomenon internalized by individuals across histories and societies. These patterns are reproduced in educational settings by teachers and learners. Universities in the United States are navigating governmental overreach, withholding of research funding, and attempts to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Programs educating social workers, counselors, and mental health practitioners must demonstrate competency attainment in DEI knowledge and skills, as well as accessible, equitable, and inclusive environments for diverse learners. The current study analyzed student perceptions about the implicit curriculum (IC), as part of a larger study of bachelor of social work (BSW) and master of social work (MSW) students at a predominantly White public university in the US (N = 167). Informed by Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory (SCT), five themes emerged in the areas of student support services: experiences with advising, courses, sense of community; experiences with discrimination; and internships/field placements. Students described exemplary faculty, alongside strained, under-resourced, and unresponsive people and processes. Reported deficits included academic advising (57%), capacity to facilitate DEI dialogue (38%), field placement oversight (19%), and sense of community (30%). Students identifying as racial and ethnic minorities, LGBTQIA+, international, and/or disabled recounted microaggressions, bias incidents, and limited responsiveness to concerns. Students noted limited faculty diversity, silencing experiences of oppression, unmet financial needs, and disillusionment. Findings underscore that revising the explicit curriculum without addressing the IC risks reproducing inequities and impeding preparation of anti-oppressive practitioners. Implications for accountability and continuous improvement are discussed.