Duke Physician Fired for Criticizing Diversity Programs, Sparks Petition

A prominent emergency room physician, Dr. Kendall Conger, has been fired from Duke University's health system after voicing his concerns about the institution's diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. In response, the organization Color Us United has launched a petition urging Duke to reconsider its DEI policies and prioritize merit-based medicine.

Dr. Kendall Conger, a prominent emergency room physician, was fired from Duke University's health system last month after speaking out against the institution's DEI push. This has sparked outrage and prompted the organization Color Us United to launch a petition demanding Duke renounce its anti-racism program.

Duke Physician Fired for Criticizing Diversity Programs, Sparks Petition

Conger publicly criticized Duke Health's pledge against racism, arguing that it was a "public health crisis" and promoted divisive ideology. He questioned the scientific basis for emphasizing race in hiring and training decisions, arguing that it could compromise merit-based medicine.

Color Us United, an organization dedicated to opposing racial division, has been monitoring Duke Health's DEI initiatives. President Kenny Xu said that the mandatory anti-racism training for doctors, which labels White males as "agents of oppression," is both unscientific and unethical.

Duke Physician Fired for Criticizing Diversity Programs, Sparks Petition

"Duke Health has really compromised merit-based medicine for anti-racism," Xu said. "If you're a doctor, you should not have a prejudice against serving anybody."

Xu pointed to an incident where a surgeon expressed pride in serving mostly non-White patients, raising concerns about bias in patient care. He argued that Duke's focus on race lacks a scientific foundation and could potentially harm patients.

Duke Physician Fired for Criticizing Diversity Programs, Sparks Petition

The petition launched by Color Us United calls for Duke to remove its race-based ideologies and practices, renounce its antiracism pledge, and prioritize merit-based hiring and training. The petition also demands the reinstatement of Dr. Conger.

"We believe that Duke has integrated its divisive political ideology into hiring and training, and may potentially be compromising patient care," the petition states.

Xu emphasized the importance of basing decisions on scientific evidence. "If Duke stuck to the science, they would renounce its anti-racism program," he said.

The petition aims to gather 10,000 signatures. Color Us United is also reaching out to Duke's board of trustees and donors to urge them to reject the institution's current DEI policies.

Duke Health has not yet responded to a request for comment on the matter.