Indiana social workers group criticizes IU over removal of lecturer from diversity class

Staff report

INDIANAPOLIS — November 18, 2025

The Indiana Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers said it has “grave concerns” about Indiana University’s decision to remove lecturer Jessica Adams from a graduate-level diversity course at the IU Bloomington School of Social Work, according to a statement released Tuesday.

Adams was removed from teaching “Diversity, Human Rights and Social Justice,” a required 500-level course for master’s-level social work students, after using a “Pyramid of White Supremacy” graphic in a lesson on systemic racism, according to previous media reports and a petition started by supporters.

“The Indiana Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW-IN) has grave concerns regarding the removal of lecturer Jessica Adams from the ‘Diversity, Human Rights and Social Justice’ course at the Indiana University-Bloomington School of Social Work,” said Carissa Miller, president of the NASW-IN Board of Directors.

“Not only was Ms. Adams teaching an approved curriculum as part of an accredited social work program, but she was training the next generation of behavioral health professionals, upon whom Hoosiers rely for their well-being and health,” Miller said.

Miller said social work education requires students to grapple with “societal issues like systemic racism and injustice.”

“While these difficult conversations are inconvenient, they are critical for the success of preparing social workers to address the complex needs of society,” she said.

Image source: https://medium.com/@maishazj/reminder-trumps-both-sides-bs-is-how-abusers-keep-their-power-5c92fc736a79

The statement notes that the course Adams was teaching is part of the required curriculum for accredited bachelor’s and master’s social work programs across the United States, under standards set by the Council on Social Work Education, the national accrediting body.

The “Pyramid of White Supremacy” graphic at the center of the controversy has been used in multiple educational settings beyond social work programs, according to the statement. The graphic is described as one tool in broader discussions about cultural competency, the “person-in-environment” perspective, and the role of social workers in advancing social justice.

Adams has previously said she was removed from the classroom while IU investigates a student complaint filed under Indiana’s new “intellectual diversity” law, known as SEA 202, which allows students to report instructors they believe restrict certain viewpoints. The complaint was reportedly sent to the office of U.S. Sen. Jim Banks before being forwarded to university administrators.

In a separate email Tuesday, IU Bloomington social work student Ben Holl urged The Bloomingtonian to help publicize a Change.org petition calling for Adams to be reinstated. Holl called the move “blatant censorship” and said Adams was following core social work values by addressing white supremacy and systemic racism in class.

“Even if they do not agree with the material taught, a huge part of being a social worker is being able to see other viewpoints and meet people where they are at in order to more effectively help others,” Holl wrote.

The petition, titled “Reinstate Lecturer Jessica Adams,” had drawn more than 1,100 signatures as of Monday, according to an organizer’s update posted on the platform.

https://www.change.org/p/reinstate-lecturer-jessica-adams?recruiter=1395518031&recruited_by_id=82e71190-c1b8-11f0-9b6c-c1b1c0cbae84&utm_source=share_petition&utm_campaign=psf_combo_share_initial&utm_term=psf&utm_medium=copylink&utm_content=cl_sharecopy_490878738_en-US%3A4

“We plan to keep going as far as we have to, in order to express to this administration that academic freedom and social work ethics are critical to the education of future social workers and all the other students at I.U.,” organizer Ryan Powell wrote in a Nov. 17 update.

The Indiana Chapter of NASW represents more than 13,000 licensed social workers across the state and advocates for the profession and social work education.

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