Racially Discriminatory Youth Programs At Six Private NY Medical Schools Challenged by Equal Protection Project

Racially Discriminatory Youth Programs At Six Private NY Medical Schools Challenged by Equal Protection Project

The Equal Protection Project (EqualProtect.org) of the Legal Insurrection Foundation has challenged numerous racially discriminatory programs done in the name of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, including a program for high school and middle school students at the public SUNY Buffalo Medical School.

EPP now has filed claims (full embed at bottom) over similar programs at six private medical schools in New York State: Albany Medical College, Einstein College of Medicine, Columbia University’s Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons, Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry.

The complaints are all similar in structure because they work off of the same New York State funding program, which has discriminatory guidelines. But there is no requirement that the schools take the funding, they could just say No instead of engaging in discrimination. Each Complaint, of course, has school-specific screenshots, links, and documentation.

Here are excerpts from the University of Rochester Complaint:

We bring this civil rights complaint against the University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry (“Rochester”) – a private institution that receives federal funds from the U.S. Department of Education – for creating, supporting, and promoting a program, entitled the Science and Technology Entry Program (“SMD-STEP”), that engages in invidious discrimination on the basis of race, color and national origin for students in grades 7 through 12. The SMD-STEP impermissibly gives admission preference to middle school and high school students who identify as “African American/Black,” “Hispanic/Latinx,” “American Indian,” or “Alaskan Native.”2

Rochester’s creation, ongoing sponsorship and active promotion of a program that explicitly gives admissions preference based on race and skin color violates Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (“Title VI”) and its implementing regulations.3

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The SMD-STEP application is posted on the Rochester website and mirrors the website’s description of the program, stating that the SMD-STEP is a “New York State funded program for high school students who are economically disadvantaged or from underrepresented backgrounds,” and that it is “designed to stimulate participants’ interest in career development opportunities in medicine and the health care professions.”8

The eligibility guidelines contained on the application page provide the that “[a]pplicants must be members of an Underrepresented Group,” which include “African American/Black,”“Hispanic/Latinx,” “American Indian,” or “Alaskan Native,” or else be “economically disadvantaged” (emphasis added).9

To that end, the application for the SMD-STEP requires each applicant to those programs to identify their race and ethnicity.10 That portion of the application is reproduced below:

The discrimination is apparent: if applicants are African American/Black, Hispanic/Latinx, American Indian, or Alaskan Native, they are automatically eligible for the program. Applicants who do not fall into one of those racial and ethnic categories are
automatically excluded from consideration unless they can show that they meet the guidelines for being “economically disadvantaged.” The “historically underrepresented minorities” are not required to prove any economic need whatsoever.

The Complaint goes on to discuss the law, and why erecting barriers based on race and ethnicity are unlawful.

The Daily Mail has the story:

Six New York medical schools have been hit with civil rights complaints for discriminating against white and Asian teens by making it easier for blacks and others to join their introductory courses….

The complaints, filed by the nonprofit Equal Protection Project (EPP), say the state’s Science and Technology Entry Program (NY-STEP) makes it easier for some 7-12th graders to get a spot than others.

Under the scheme, students who are black, Latino, Alaskan native or American Indian can seek a place. Others — including whites and Asians — have to also show they’re ‘economically disadvantaged’ to apply.

William Jacobson, EPP’s founder, said this ‘additional barrier to eligibility’ was illegal.

‘Erecting additional barriers for some races and ethnic groups in and of itself is unlawful discrimination,’ Jacobson told DailyMail.com.

‘Imagine if the roles were reversed, and these programs explicitly favored Asians and whites — there would be universal outrage and these medical schools would never accept such funding.’ …

They aim to ‘increase the number of historically underrepresented and economically disadvantaged students’ in the medical field, according to Columbia University’s website.

Still, Jacobson says, the policy unfairly assumes that all white and Asian kids have it easy.

‘The eligibility guidelines engage in the types of crude stereotypes that presume students of certain racial and ethnic groups are disadvantaged and in need of preference,’ he said.

We are continuing to act on tips and to seek out opportunities to challenge discrimination done in the name of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. But we need your help. We are a small organization going up against powerful and wealthy government and private institutions devoted to DEI discrimination. Donations are greatly needed and appreciated.

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