The Pasadena, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine is facing accusations of racial discrimination for the second time since opening in summer 2020.
Derrick Morton, PhD, a former assistant professor of biomedical science at the medical school, filed the lawsuit Aug. 22, Time reported Aug. 29. Dr. Morton complained about discrimination to supervisors at least a dozen times between October 2020 and July 2021, according to Time. He said Black employees were discriminated against, demoted and silenced when they spoke out. Dr. Morton was appointed to a diversity, equity and inclusion committee that had little authority and was subject to an outside consultant, he told the magazine.
"[Morton] and his Black colleagues could not associate with each other or with Black students for fear of being blacklisted and rendered professionally nonviable," according to the lawsuit.
In March 2021, Dr. Aysha Koury, MD, a small group facilitator in the department of clinical science, filed a complaint against the medical school, citing microaggressions because of her race and gender. Dr. Koury said she was terminated without warning or sufficient explanation after leading a discussion on racism in medicine, Time reported.
In June, the National Labor Relations board filed a lawsuit on Dr. Koury's behalf. Kaiser's attorneys filed a motion for summary judgment in August, saying Dr. Koury failed to prove discrimination. The jury trial is still scheduled for March 13, according to court documents.
A Kaiser Permanente representative said Aug. 30 in a statement to Becker's that the medical school is dedicated to diversity, equity and inclusion. The medical school is among the most diverse in the country, with more than double the national average of Black and Latinx faculty and a 46 percent Black, Latinx, Indigenous and Pacific Islander student class, according to the statement. Additionally, Kaiser said Black faculty members hold most of the leadership positions on its faculty advisory council.
"When Dr. Morton provided notice of his resignation after receiving an offer from USC, we offered to put together a retention package for him to stay with us. Dr. Morton chose to accept the position at USC but to also continue working at the school for an additional four months until the start of his new position," the Kaiser Permanente statement read. "While we were disappointed that he chose to leave our school, we congratulated him on the wonderful opportunity he was provided at USC."
"We strongly disagree with the allegations and characterization of events in the complaint," Kaiser said.