Abigail Spanberger is asking the Board of Visitors at the University of Virginia to pause its search for a new president until she’s sworn in and can appoint new board members.
Virginia’s governor-elect is asking the Board of Visitors at the University of Virginia to pause its search for a new president until she’s sworn in and can appoint — and the General Assembly can confirm — new board members.
Abigail Spanberger, a Democrat and alumna of the school, said in a letter Wednesday to the university’s rector and vice rector who head the board, that she’s “deeply concerned by recent developments” at the university and how they might affect the legitimacy of the search for a new president.
The school’s last president, James Ryan, resigned during the summer over pressure from President Donald Trump’s administration and conservative critics over the university’s diversity, equity and inclusion practices.
Spanberger said federal overreach that led to Ryan’s departure went unchallenged by the University of Virginia board.
In the aftermath, the school declined a request from the Trump administration to make commitments aligned with the president’s priorities in exchange for favorable access to funding. But days later, the university struck a deal with the White House to abide by guidance forbidding discrimination in admissions and hiring in order to end the Justice Department’s investigations into the school.
In her letter, Spanberger called the university’s actions into question.
“Over the past six months, the actions of the Board of Visitors have severely undermined the public’s and the University community’s confidence in the Board’s ability to govern productively, transparently, and in the best interests of the University,” she wrote.
Making things worse in Spanberger’s mind, five members of the board have not been confirmed by the General Assembly, meaning the board’s composition is in violation of statutory requirements.
Spanberger went on to request the board refrain from “rushing” the search and selection of finalists for the presidency until the board is full and in compliance, “meaning that I have appointed and the General Assembly has confirmed” new board members.
It’s a signal of Spanberger’s willingness to challenge the Trump administration, which has been targeting universities across the country that don’t align with its priorities.
She said she’ll be making her board appointments soon after her inauguration on Jan. 17. Her appointees are likely to be pushed through quickly by the General Assembly, as both chambers are controlled by Democrats.
“It will be a priority of my administration to stabilize and normalize the leadership of our public colleges and universities,” Spanberger wrote.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.
Should a college professor be able to share information about gender identity in a children’s literature class? Can an elementary school teacher offer an “unpopular opinion” about the Charlie Kirk murder on her personal Facebook page? Not without consequences, and not as long as Republican leaders are micromanaging public institutions, free speech advocates say.
Four people lost their jobs at Texas A&M University this month after a student objected to a discussion about a book involving a nonbinary child, falsely claiming such a conversation is not allowed under the Trump administration. The student took a recording of her classroom exchange with the professor to the university president, and a Republican lawmaker made it his mission to publicize the situation and rally support for the ouster of the A&M officials involved.
The termination of professor Melissa McCoul; the demotions of College of Arts and Sciences Dean Mark Zoran and English Department Head Emily Johansen; and the subsequent resignation of University President Mark Welsh III prompted a firestorm of controversy and debate about government overreach into higher education institutions.
Academics across the country have strong opinions on these topics, but many professors, including those at Houston universities, are uncomfortable talking about them publicly.
The incident in McCoul’s Texas A&M classroom was publicized by Texas Rep. Brian Harrison, R-Midlothian, and had members of the public calling for the professor’s firing, tagging Gov. Greg Abbott and other Republican lawmakers.
🚨CAUGHT ON TAPE: TEXAS A&M STUDENT KICKED OUT OF CLASS AFTER OBJECTING TO TRANSGENDER INDOCTRINATION… and A&M President defends “LGBTQ Studies.”
Harrison did not respond to requests for comment on this story.
Days after McCoul lost her job, conservative Christian activist Charlie Kirk was murdered on the Utah Valley University campus, and as people weighed in on social media, a campaign was launched to get people fired from their jobs who spoke in a negative way about Kirk, who was an ally of President Donald Trump.
Governor Abbott called for the expulsion of a student at Texas State University who allegedly mocked Kirk’s death at a memorial. “Hey Texas State. This conduct is not accepted at our schools. Expel this student immediately. Mocking assassinations must have consequences,” Abbott wrote on X. The student was expelled later that day.
Texas Education Agency officials reported earlier this month that 280 complaints have been filed against teachers who commented on Kirk’s death on social media. While some of the posts were no-doubt inflammatory, suggesting that Kirk “got what he deserved,” others pointed out that they thought Kirk was a racist and posted clips that they presumably believed illustrated their point.
Randal Scamardo, a Texas A&M graduate who works as an assistant professor of Spanish at Lees-McRae College in North Carolina, said the situation at his alma mater is troubling. It appears that while it’s acceptable to laud Republican and Christian ideology in all public classrooms, differing opinions are shut down, he said.
“Since governments are expected to provide public education, it’s easier for them to create something that looks like education but is more akin to indoctrination,” Scamardo said. “People interested in doing that should be kept far away from the content of public education.”
Ironically, the indoctrination argument goes both ways. Harrison has argued that rogue educators must be fired for indoctrinating students into a “woke” ideology that includes Diversity, Equity and Inclusion practices and gender identity.
University of Houston lecturer Nancy Sims said on the Houston Matters radio show earlier this month that she devotes the first 15 minutes of her Women in Politics class to discussing the issues of the day, such as something President Trump said, action taken by the Legislature, or “any kind of policy that’s affecting women’s lives.”
“I think it’s very challenging to teach situations in the real world when the Legislature is trying to put parameters around you to not allow that,” Sims said on the radio show. “How can you discuss women’s rights without discussing the role of gender identity in women’s rights? You’re trying to put parameters on us that don’t allow us to discuss reality in the world that students will face when they leave campus.”
“It’s had a chilling effect on all public universities,” Sims told the Houston Press, declining to comment further.
Details are still unfolding in McCoul’s case, but accusations have been made that the topic of gender identity wasn’t relevant to a discussion on children’s literature.
According to reports, McCoul’s students were reading a novel called Jude Saves the World, featuring a 12-year-old protagonist who comes out as nonbinary. The professor shared a graphic of a “gender unicorn” to teach the differences between gender identity and sexuality.
According to the video released by Rep. Harrison, the student who later complained to the administration said, “I just have a question, because I’m not entirely sure this is legal to be teaching. Because, according to our President, there’s only two genders and he said that he would be freezing agencies’ funding programs that promote gender ideology. This also very much goes against, not only myself, but a lot of people’s religious beliefs.”
McCoul told the student she had the right to leave the class when concerns about the topic were raised.
No state or federal law prohibits instruction on race, gender, or sexual orientation in Texas universities, nor is there a university policy. An executive order issued by Trump in January states that U.S. government policy is to recognize two sexes and that federal funds could not be used to promote gender identity. However, legal experts have said that the order doesn’t prohibit a professor from teaching lessons on the topic.
McCoul’s children’s literature class, held over the summer, was canceled after the incident but the professor was back in the classroom teaching in the fall. She was not officially reprimanded for the incident until the video surfaced.
McCoul’s notice of termination, according to her attorney Amanda Reichek, “alleges that she was instructed on numerous occasions to change the course content to align with the catalog description and the course description that was originally submitted and approved, yet failed to do so.”
“However, Professor McCoul’s course content was entirely consistent with the catalog and course description, and she was never instructed to change her course content in any way, shape, or form,” Reichek said in an emailed statement. “In fact, Dr. McCoul taught this course and others like it for many years, successfully and without challenge. Instead, Dr. McCoul was fired in violation of her constitutional and contractual rights, and the academic freedom that was once the hallmark of Texas higher education.”
The professor appealed her termination and is “exploring further legal action,” Reichek said.
A tenured faculty member sent an anonymous letter last week to the student body at Texas A&M, noting that, for the second time in two years, a university president has stepped down “under public criticism from Texas political leaders and social media actors – accompanied by the resignation or removal of academic administrators and, in this most recent case, the firing of a faculty member in what appears to be a response to political pressure.”
M. Katherine Banks was the university president prior to Welsh. She retired in the wake of a controversy over the hiring of a Black female to lead A&M’s revitalized journalism program but received backlash from conservative groups that alleged a DEI hire.
“This follows years in which faculty have been lampooned in partisan media and by state officials as ‘woke’ activists, supposedly more concerned with ideology than with research and education,” the anonymous faculty member wrote. “We come to work knowing that serving your interests carries the risk of public ridicule, doxing, and, now it appears, loss of one’s job.”
“What makes this moment even more distressing is that outside agitators are trying to pit students against faculty, encouraging you to use the classroom as their weapon. I feel a long way from my first day standing in front of a classroom of Aggies, when students lined up to say howdy and introduce themselves. Now I wonder if they are recording.”
Texas A&M junior Ian Curtis, a journalism major and editor-in-chief of the student newspaper The Battalion, said last week that his peers were not particularly outraged about McCoul’s firing, but they were concerned that President Welsh was seemingly forced to resign amid the controversy.
Texas A&M University President Mark Welsh III, pictured with his wife Betty, resigned last week amid a controversy over a professor teaching gender identity in a children’s literature class.
Screenshot
The retired U.S. Air Force four-star general exited campus on September 19 with his wife Betty as students displayed signs that read, “American Hero & Our Hero. The Student Government Association rounded up dozens of current and former student leaders to sign a letter of support for Welsh and students protested for academic freedom.
“The professor situation, that gets into the politics of the day,” Curtis said. “People’s opinions are really divided on that on campus, but there was a lot of popular support for President Welsh. There’s an interesting dynamic here. It’s all the same scandal so it all gets thrown into one, but I think, among the student body, there’s a lot of support for Welsh because of everything he did for the university, which isn’t always the same as the reaction to the firing of the professor.”
Following the Course Description
The course description in McCoul’s publicly listed syllabus for the “Literature for Children” course states that the class will “tease out the boundaries of children’s literature,” including what counts as children’s literature and what differentiates writing for children from writing for adults, the Texas Tribune reported.
The syllabus lists Jude Saves the World as a course text and describes it as a children’s book by Ronnie Riley about a “nonbinary, bisexual 12-year-old who uses they/them pronouns.”
“Some of the material in this class might be controversial, and it is likely differing opinions will emerge,” the syllabus states. “You are certainly not required to agree with me (or your peers), or to adhere to any particular viewpoints. However, I do insist upon respectful, courteous dialogue, especially in matters where emotions run high.”
So it appears the students knew — or at least were provided information — on what the class would entail when they signed up for it.
Scamardo, the North Carolina professor, who earned his master’s degree and Ph.D. at the Universidad de Cadiz in Spain, said in general, course catalog descriptions are supposed to be four lines or less.
“We’re trying to make the courses look interesting,” he said. “We want students to register for these courses, and these descriptions have to be used semester after semester without having to be constantly altered. That is not very easy to do, but you also have a syllabus that gives more in-depth information. The students are supposed to read the syllabus at the beginning of the semester, when they still have time to drop the class and get their money back if they don’t like what they see planned out for the next 17 weeks.”
The professor added that students need to “lighten up, learn as much as they can, and go with the flow a little bit,” particularly when taking a political science course or a class that covers current events.
“Trust your college professors; they are the experts,” he said. “Take away what you like and disregard the rest. Keep the culture wars out of the classroom. You’re there to learn, not fight.”
Rice University political science professor Mark Jones said recently on the Houston Matters radio program that the course catalog references general topics but “it’s a rubric that you fill in throughout the course.”
“Especially in something like politics, you often are filling it in as the course evolves because you often try to use examples that come from current-day politics,” he said. “If you’re talking about democracy or elections, you’re probably not going to bring in some type of political philosophy that has nothing to do with politics, but it’s tough to say from the start exactly what you’re going to be covering in a course, especially for topics that are ever-changing, like politics.”
State Officials Also Get Involved in Secondary Education
As the so-called scandal at Texas A&M got a lot of attention this month, it became clear that secondary education classrooms are not immune to the watchful eye of the state government.
The Republican-controlled Texas Legislature passed a bill earlier this year requiring that the Ten Commandments be displayed in all public K-12 classrooms as long as the posters are donated. Two lawsuits have been filed to challenge the legislation and courts have ruled that such a measure is unconstitutional.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton celebrated a legal victory against Austin ISD on September 15, prohibiting the district from teaching critical race theory.
“Critical race theory is anti-American propaganda and in no world will I allow the woke indoctrination of Texas children,” Paxton said in an emailed statement. “While this order is an important step forward, I want to make clear to any school district considering any breach of this law: we will be watching.”
And in the Facebook post heard ‘round Texas, Abilene ISD Superintendent John Kuhn lamented that the “burden is heavy” for administrators in public education.
“Yesterday I spent hours at an update listening to the impacts on teachers and admins at public schools of bill after bill passed by our lege,” he wrote. “Did you know that one bill says teachers are going to be required to catalogue every book in their classrooms? Kindergarten teachers have hundreds of tiny books. With what time? When? Did you know that another bill says nurses can’t provide any health care whatsoever and counselors can’t provide any emotional support whatsoever without a written permission slip from parents?”
“Legislators have been convinced by political groups who hate public schools that everyone inside them are wicked, evil people,” Kuhn added.
Kuhn went on to say that Abilene teachers were referred to as “demons” by social media commenters who objected to the teaching of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close in an honors English class. The book is about a child who lost his father in the 9/11 terrorist attacks and it contains a few curse words, Kuhn said.
“My teachers aren’t demons,” Kuhn wrote. “They may have made a mistake in assigning this book to 15-year-olds rather than 17-year olds and for that there are people online saying they need to be fired. Today, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is likely temporarily coming off our library shelves while we review our book challenge policies. Read the book. It’ll make you cry.”
He went on to say that “we can’t win in public ed anymore” and he was thinking about retiring when he is eligible in January.
“I’m sick of politicians playing divisive politics and leaving local public servants to clean up the mess,” Kuhn wrote. “Public schools are apolitical entities with the job of teaching kids to think critically and become awesome humans. We aren’t perfect. We have missteps because we are human organizations. But don’t call my teachers DEMONS while you cuss in the comments.”
“There is a political movement to pull the teeth of local officials at schools and on city councils and county commissioners courts so that all we have is centralized state leadership. So local yokels like yours truly have to be continually demonized and legislated into submission.”
Academic Freedom
The controversy at A&M has prompted free speech advocates to question whether McCoul’s firing not only was unfounded but endangers academic freedom in Texas.
Lindsie Rank, director of campus rights advocacy at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, said public institutions can’t fire employees for exercising their First Amendment rights. Such occurrences are likely to prompt some educators to seek employment in other states, Rank said in a published report.
A recent survey conducted by the American Association of University Professors and the Texas Faculty Association found that 25 percent of Texas professors have applied for out-of-state jobs in the last two years. Over 60 percent said they would not recommend that colleagues or graduate students seek positions in the state. The chief complaint among those surveyed was the political climate.
Texas A&M’s College Station campus is home to more than 76,000 students.
Screenshot
Caro Achar, engagement coordinator for free speech at the ACLU of Texas, said free speech is the “cornerstone of our — and any — democracy, and it must apply to all Texans regardless of the viewpoints they express.”
“All public colleges and universities have a constitutional obligation to protect academic freedom on their campuses,” she said. “For decades, the Supreme Court has emphasized the importance of public universities maintaining learning environments where students and faculty are free to learn and explore new ideas. The censorship of certain topics and viewpoints destroys these environments and threatens the very foundation of our democracy.”
Curtis, the A&M junior, said he didn’t think students are concerned about what they can talk about in class, but they are concerned about the political overreach that’s preventing universities from handling their business internally.
“I’ve been in classes where professors have had to say, ‘This is a class where we discuss current events.’ I think it’s a fear, maybe a nervousness or anxiety, that extends to the students sometimes, but a lot of us … we’ve still got to pass our exams. Maybe the severity of what’s going on hasn’t hit the student body yet,” he said.
“I think the resignation of Welsh really put that into perspective for a lot of people,” he added. “It was like, this political thing that I wasn’t paying attention to extended to someone I’ve met. I shook his hand and he came to my awards events. That really shocked a lot of people into caring and looking into the situation.”
Senate Bill 17, requiring state universities to dismantle DEI offices and cease various programs, activities, and trainings that were traditionally conducted by them, became effective in January 2024. That got students’ attention because it affected some of their clubs and extracurricular activities, Curtis said.
Texas A&M is a diverse institution with more than 70,000 people at the main campus, but the perception, based on the visual displayed on televised football games, is a majority-white, conservative campus with a military-style Corps of Cadets and male “yell leaders” instead of cheerleaders, said Curtis, who grew up in College Station.
Texas A&M University is known for its Corps of Cadets and military traditions. The institution began accepting women in 1963.
Screenshot
“There’s a community for everyone; there are representative bodies for queer students, every ethnic group or international student,” he said. “The campus and the school itself is a community and there’s something for everyone here.”
Former A&M President Welsh at first said he wouldn’t fire McCoul but then reversed course and did so, saying at the time, “This isn’t about academic freedom; it’s about academic responsibility.”
But some students believe that academic freedom is under attack, Curtis said, pointing to a reportThe Battalion did earlier this year on the conservative influence that far-right publication Texas Scorecard has on A&M’s policies and personnel discussions.
“Virtually every article they publish is not fully factual, sometimes not even close to factual,” Welsh is quoted saying in the article. “They have never printed a retraction when we provided them with the facts.”
And yet members of the A&M Board of Regents repeatedly pointed to published reports in the Scorecard to justify policy-making decisions, according to The Battalion.
Curtis said students are aware of the political pressure on university administrators but they typically don’t get involved until it affects their daily lives. He said he didn’t think anything would change among students other than reacting to changes at the institutional level.
“I think you’re going to see a shift in how other people conduct themselves more than how students conduct themselves,” he said. “I think there will be a domino effect from that. I think the issue is that you have people on social media seeing one moment out of context, and it being shared by a politician, and then you have people in Austin with their eyes on it. You have university systems that feel like they need to make changes based on that.”
“It’s reactionary. An uneducated opinion is being shared and it’s leading to all this change,” he added. “I think that frustrates a lot of students.”
Should a college professor be able to share information about gender identity in a children’s literature class? Can an elementary school teacher offer an “unpopular opinion” about the Charlie Kirk murder on her personal Facebook page? Not without consequences, and not as long as Republican leaders are micromanaging public institutions, free speech advocates say.
Four people lost their jobs at Texas A&M University this month after a student objected to a discussion about a book involving a nonbinary child, falsely claiming such a conversation is not allowed under the Trump administration. The student took a recording of her classroom exchange with the professor to the university president, and a Republican lawmaker made it his mission to publicize the situation and rally support for the ouster of the A&M officials involved.
The termination of professor Melissa McCoul; the demotions of College of Arts and Sciences Dean Mark Zoran and English Department Head Emily Johansen; and the subsequent resignation of University President Mark Welsh III prompted a firestorm of controversy and debate about government overreach into higher education institutions.
Academics across the country have strong opinions on these topics, but many professors, including those at Houston universities, are uncomfortable talking about them publicly.
The incident in McCoul’s Texas A&M classroom was publicized by Texas Rep. Brian Harrison, R-Midlothian, and had members of the public calling for the professor’s firing, tagging Gov. Greg Abbott and other Republican lawmakers.
🚨CAUGHT ON TAPE: TEXAS A&M STUDENT KICKED OUT OF CLASS AFTER OBJECTING TO TRANSGENDER INDOCTRINATION… and A&M President defends “LGBTQ Studies.”
Harrison did not respond to requests for comment on this story.
Days after McCoul lost her job, conservative Christian activist Charlie Kirk was murdered on the Utah Valley University campus, and as people weighed in on social media, a campaign was launched to get people fired from their jobs who spoke in a negative way about Kirk, who was an ally of President Donald Trump.
Governor Abbott called for the expulsion of a student at Texas State University who allegedly mocked Kirk’s death at a memorial. “Hey Texas State. This conduct is not accepted at our schools. Expel this student immediately. Mocking assassinations must have consequences,” Abbott wrote on X. The student was expelled later that day.
Texas Education Agency officials reported earlier this month that 280 complaints have been filed against teachers who commented on Kirk’s death on social media. While some of the posts were no-doubt inflammatory, suggesting that Kirk “got what he deserved,” others pointed out that they thought Kirk was a racist and posted clips that they presumably believed illustrated their point.
Randal Scamardo, a Texas A&M graduate who works as an assistant professor of Spanish at Lees-McRae College in North Carolina, said the situation at his alma mater is troubling. It appears that while it’s acceptable to laud Republican and Christian ideology in all public classrooms, differing opinions are shut down, he said.
“Since governments are expected to provide public education, it’s easier for them to create something that looks like education but is more akin to indoctrination,” Scamardo said. “People interested in doing that should be kept far away from the content of public education.”
Ironically, the indoctrination argument goes both ways. Harrison has argued that rogue educators must be fired for indoctrinating students into a “woke” ideology that includes Diversity, Equity and Inclusion practices and gender identity.
University of Houston lecturer Nancy Sims said on the Houston Matters radio showearlier this month that she devotes the first 15 minutes of her Women in Politics class to discussing the issues of the day, such as something President Trump said, action taken by the Legislature, or “any kind of policy that’s affecting women’s lives.”
“I think it’s very challenging to teach situations in the real world when the Legislature is trying to put parameters around you to not allow that,” Sims said on the radio show. “How can you discuss women’s rights without discussing the role of gender identity in women’s rights? You’re trying to put parameters on us that don’t allow us to discuss reality in the world that students will face when they leave campus.”
“It’s had a chilling effect on all public universities,” Sims told the Houston Press, declining to comment further.
Details are still unfolding in McCoul’s case, but accusations have been made that the topic of gender identity wasn’t relevant to a discussion on children’s literature.
According to reports, McCoul’s students were reading a novel called Jude Saves the World, featuring a 12-year-old protagonist who comes out as nonbinary. The professor shared a graphic of a “gender unicorn” to teach the differences between gender identity and sexuality.
According to the video released by Rep. Harrison, the student who later complained to the administration said, “I just have a question, because I’m not entirely sure this is legal to be teaching. Because, according to our President, there’s only two genders and he said that he would be freezing agencies’ funding programs that promote gender ideology. This also very much goes against, not only myself, but a lot of people’s religious beliefs.”
McCoul told the student she had the right to leave the class when concerns about the topic were raised.
No state or federal law prohibits instruction on race, gender, or sexual orientation in Texas universities, nor is there a university policy. An executive order issued by Trump in January states that U.S. government policy is to recognize two sexes and that federal funds could not be used to promote gender identity. However, legal experts have said that the order doesn’t prohibit a professor from teaching lessons on the topic.
McCoul’s children’s literature class, held over the summer, was canceled after the incident but the professor was back in the classroom teaching in the fall. She was not officially reprimanded for the incident until the video surfaced.
McCoul’s notice of termination, according to her attorney Amanda Reichek, “alleges that she was instructed on numerous occasions to change the course content to align with the catalog description and the course description that was originally submitted and approved, yet failed to do so.”
“However, Professor McCoul’s course content was entirely consistent with the catalog and course description, and she was never instructed to change her course content in any way, shape, or form,” Reichek said in an emailed statement. “In fact, Dr. McCoul taught this course and others like it for many years, successfully and without challenge. Instead, Dr. McCoul was fired in violation of her constitutional and contractual rights, and the academic freedom that was once the hallmark of Texas higher education.”
The professor appealed her termination and is “exploring further legal action,” Reichek said.
A tenured faculty member sent an anonymous letter last week to the student body at Texas A&M, noting that, for the second time in two years, a university president has stepped down “under public criticism from Texas political leaders and social media actors – accompanied by the resignation or removal of academic administrators and, in this most recent case, the firing of a faculty member in what appears to be a response to political pressure.”
M. Katherine Banks was the university president prior to Welsh. She retired in the wake of a controversy over the hiring of a Black female to lead A&M’s revitalized journalism program but received backlash from conservative groups that alleged a DEI hire.
“This follows years in which faculty have been lampooned in partisan media and by state officials as ‘woke’ activists, supposedly more concerned with ideology than with research and education,” the anonymous faculty member wrote. “We come to work knowing that serving your interests carries the risk of public ridicule, doxing, and, now it appears, loss of one’s job.”
“What makes this moment even more distressing is that outside agitators are trying to pit students against faculty, encouraging you to use the classroom as their weapon. I feel a long way from my first day standing in front of a classroom of Aggies, when students lined up to say howdy and introduce themselves. Now I wonder if they are recording.”
Texas A&M junior Ian Curtis, a journalism major and editor-in-chief of the student newspaper The Battalion, said last week that his peers were not particularly outraged about McCoul’s firing, but they were concerned that President Welsh was seemingly forced to resign amid the controversy.
Texas A&M University President Mark Welsh III, pictured with his wife Betty, resigned last week amid a controversy over a professor teaching gender identity in a children’s literature class. Credit: Screenshot
The retired U.S. Air Force four-star general exited campus on September 19 with his wife Betty as students displayed signs that read, “American Hero & Our Hero. The Student Government Association rounded up dozens of current and former student leaders to sign a letter of support for Welsh and students protested for academic freedom.
“The professor situation, that gets into the politics of the day,” Curtis said. “People’s opinions are really divided on that on campus, but there was a lot of popular support for President Welsh. There’s an interesting dynamic here. It’s all the same scandal so it all gets thrown into one, but I think, among the student body, there’s a lot of support for Welsh because of everything he did for the university, which isn’t always the same as the reaction to the firing of the professor.”
Following the Course Description
The course description in McCoul’s publicly listed syllabus for the “Literature for Children” course states that the class will “tease out the boundaries of children’s literature,” including what counts as children’s literature and what differentiates writing for children from writing for adults, the Texas Tribune reported.
The syllabus lists Jude Saves the World as a course text and describes it as a children’s book by Ronnie Riley about a “nonbinary, bisexual 12-year-old who uses they/them pronouns.”
“Some of the material in this class might be controversial, and it is likely differing opinions will emerge,” the syllabus states. “You are certainly not required to agree with me (or your peers), or to adhere to any particular viewpoints. However, I do insist upon respectful, courteous dialogue, especially in matters where emotions run high.”
So it appears the students knew — or at least were provided information — on what the class would entail when they signed up for it.
Scamardo, the North Carolina professor, who earned his master’s degree and Ph.D. at the Universidad de Cadiz in Spain, said in general, course catalog descriptions are supposed to be four lines or less.
“We’re trying to make the courses look interesting,” he said. “We want students to register for these courses, and these descriptions have to be used semester after semester without having to be constantly altered. That is not very easy to do, but you also have a syllabus that gives more in-depth information. The students are supposed to read the syllabus at the beginning of the semester, when they still have time to drop the class and get their money back if they don’t like what they see planned out for the next 17 weeks.”
The professor added that students need to “lighten up, learn as much as they can, and go with the flow a little bit,” particularly when taking a political science course or a class that covers current events.
“Trust your college professors; they are the experts,” he said. “Take away what you like and disregard the rest. Keep the culture wars out of the classroom. You’re there to learn, not fight.”
Rice University political science professor Mark Jones said recently on the Houston Matters radio program that the course catalog references general topics but “it’s a rubric that you fill in throughout the course.”
“Especially in something like politics, you often are filling it in as the course evolves because you often try to use examples that come from current-day politics,” he said. “If you’re talking about democracy or elections, you’re probably not going to bring in some type of political philosophy that has nothing to do with politics, but it’s tough to say from the start exactly what you’re going to be covering in a course, especially for topics that are ever-changing, like politics.”
State Officials Also Get Involved in Secondary Education
As the so-called scandal at Texas A&M got a lot of attention this month, it became clear that secondary education classrooms are not immune to the watchful eye of the state government.
The Republican-controlled Texas Legislature passed a bill earlier this year requiring that the Ten Commandments be displayed in all public K-12 classrooms as long as the posters are donated. Two lawsuits have been filed to challenge the legislation and courts have ruled that such a measure is unconstitutional.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton celebrated a legal victory against Austin ISD on September 15, prohibiting the district from teaching critical race theory.
“Critical race theory is anti-American propaganda and in no world will I allow the woke indoctrination of Texas children,” Paxton said in an emailed statement. “While this order is an important step forward, I want to make clear to any school district considering any breach of this law: we will be watching.”
And in the Facebook post heard ‘round Texas, Abilene ISD Superintendent John Kuhn lamented that the “burden is heavy” for administrators in public education.
“Yesterday I spent hours at an update listening to the impacts on teachers and admins at public schools of bill after bill passed by our lege,” he wrote. “Did you know that one bill says teachers are going to be required to catalogue every book in their classrooms? Kindergarten teachers have hundreds of tiny books. With what time? When? Did you know that another bill says nurses can’t provide any health care whatsoever and counselors can’t provide any emotional support whatsoever without a written permission slip from parents?”
“Legislators have been convinced by political groups who hate public schools that everyone inside them are wicked, evil people,” Kuhn added.
Kuhn went on to say that Abilene teachers were referred to as “demons” by social media commenters who objected to the teaching of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close in an honors English class. The book is about a child who lost his father in the 9/11 terrorist attacks and it contains a few curse words, Kuhn said.
“My teachers aren’t demons,” Kuhn wrote. “They may have made a mistake in assigning this book to 15-year-olds rather than 17-year olds and for that there are people online saying they need to be fired. Today, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is likely temporarily coming off our library shelves while we review our book challenge policies. Read the book. It’ll make you cry.”
He went on to say that “we can’t win in public ed anymore” and he was thinking about retiring when he is eligible in January.
“I’m sick of politicians playing divisive politics and leaving local public servants to clean up the mess,” Kuhn wrote. “Public schools are apolitical entities with the job of teaching kids to think critically and become awesome humans. We aren’t perfect. We have missteps because we are human organizations. But don’t call my teachers DEMONS while you cuss in the comments.”
“There is a political movement to pull the teeth of local officials at schools and on city councils and county commissioners courts so that all we have is centralized state leadership. So local yokels like yours truly have to be continually demonized and legislated into submission.”
Academic Freedom
The controversy at A&M has prompted free speech advocates to question whether McCoul’s firing not only was unfounded but endangers academic freedom in Texas.
Lindsie Rank, director of campus rights advocacy at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, said public institutions can’t fire employees for exercising their First Amendment rights. Such occurrences are likely to prompt some educators to seek employment in other states, Rank said in a published report.
A recent survey conducted by the American Association of University Professors and the Texas Faculty Association found that 25 percent of Texas professors have applied for out-of-state jobs in the last two years. Over 60 percent said they would not recommend that colleagues or graduate students seek positions in the state. The chief complaint among those surveyed was the political climate.
Texas A&M’s College Station campus is home to more than 76,000 students. Credit: Screenshot
Caro Achar, engagement coordinator for free speech at the ACLU of Texas, said free speech is the “cornerstone of our — and any — democracy, and it must apply to all Texans regardless of the viewpoints they express.”
“All public colleges and universities have a constitutional obligation to protect academic freedom on their campuses,” she said. “For decades, the Supreme Court has emphasized the importance of public universities maintaining learning environments where students and faculty are free to learn and explore new ideas. The censorship of certain topics and viewpoints destroys these environments and threatens the very foundation of our democracy.”
Curtis, the A&M junior, said he didn’t think students are concerned about what they can talk about in class, but they are concerned about the political overreach that’s preventing universities from handling their business internally.
“I’ve been in classes where professors have had to say, ‘This is a class where we discuss current events.’ I think it’s a fear, maybe a nervousness or anxiety, that extends to the students sometimes, but a lot of us … we’ve still got to pass our exams. Maybe the severity of what’s going on hasn’t hit the student body yet,” he said.
“I think the resignation of Welsh really put that into perspective for a lot of people,” he added. “It was like, this political thing that I wasn’t paying attention to extended to someone I’ve met. I shook his hand and he came to my awards events. That really shocked a lot of people into caring and looking into the situation.”
Senate Bill 17, requiring state universities to dismantle DEI offices and cease various programs, activities, and trainings that were traditionally conducted by them, became effective in January 2024. That got students’ attention because it affected some of their clubs and extracurricular activities, Curtis said.
Texas A&M is a diverse institution with more than 70,000 people at the main campus, but the perception, based on the visual displayed on televised football games, is a majority-white, conservative campus with a military-style Corps of Cadets and male “yell leaders” instead of cheerleaders, said Curtis, who grew up in College Station.
Texas A&M University is known for its Corps of Cadets and military traditions. The institution began accepting women in 1963. Credit: Screenshot
“There’s a community for everyone; there are representative bodies for queer students, every ethnic group or international student,” he said. “The campus and the school itself is a community and there’s something for everyone here.”
Former A&M President Welsh at first said he wouldn’t fire McCoul but then reversed course and did so, saying at the time, “This isn’t about academic freedom; it’s about academic responsibility.”
But some students believe that academic freedom is under attack, Curtis said, pointing to a reportThe Battalion did earlier this year on the conservative influence that far-right publication Texas Scorecard has on A&M’s policies and personnel discussions.
“Virtually every article they publish is not fully factual, sometimes not even close to factual,” Welsh is quoted saying in the article. “They have never printed a retraction when we provided them with the facts.”
And yet members of the A&M Board of Regents repeatedly pointed to published reports in the Scorecard to justify policy-making decisions, according to The Battalion.
Curtis said students are aware of the political pressure on university administrators but they typically don’t get involved until it affects their daily lives. He said he didn’t think anything would change among students other than reacting to changes at the institutional level.
“I think you’re going to see a shift in how other people conduct themselves more than how students conduct themselves,” he said. “I think there will be a domino effect from that. I think the issue is that you have people on social media seeing one moment out of context, and it being shared by a politician, and then you have people in Austin with their eyes on it. You have university systems that feel like they need to make changes based on that.”
“It’s reactionary. An uneducated opinion is being shared and it’s leading to all this change,” he added. “I think that frustrates a lot of students.”
Faculty support groups at the University of North Texas are the latest slice of university programming razed by Senate Bill 17, a Texas law that has become infamous for targeting Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives in education. A notice sent to university employees last week announced that groups designed to unite employees who share similarities — such as women, racial groups, Christians and those diagnosed with neurodivergent disorders — must cease operations immediately in order to comply with SB 17, the North Texas Daily reports…
A federal court issued a ruling against the Fearless Fund, temporarily blocking the firm from financially supporting Black and Women-owned businesses Monday afternoon.
In a 2-1 ruling, the panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit in Miami found that Edward Blum and his organization, the American Alliance for Equal Rights, was likely to prevail in his lawsuit claiming the grant program violates section 1981 of the 1866 Civil Rights Act. The law prohibits discrimination on the basis of race when enforcing contracts. The Reconstruction-era law was originally intended to protect formerly enslaved people from economic exclusion. During the post-George Floyd era, Conservatives have used this law to destroy Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) efforts in Corporate America because they believe such programs are a modern form of discrimination.
“In this fearless moment, we should all be motivated to fight after today’s decision,” Arian Simone said in a statement. “This is devastating for the Fearless Fund and Foundation, and for the women in which we have invested in. I am shattered for every girl of color who has a dream but will grow up in a nation determined not to give her a shot to live it. On their behalf, we will turn the pain into purpose and fight with all our might.”
Judge Robin Rosenbaum, an Obama appointee, wrote the dissenting opinion. She argued the plaintiffs’ claims are similar to “flopping on the field, faking an injury.” Rosenbaum characterized the claims made by AAER as “cookie-cutter declarations” that were ”threadbare and devoid of substance.”
What is Fearless’s Purpose?
Ayana K. Parsons of The Fearless Fund speaks during a town hall at the Congressional Black Caucus’s 52nd Annual Legislative Conference inside the Walter E. Washington Convention Center on Thursday, September 21, 2023 in Washington, D.C. (Photo: Itoro N. Umontuen/The Atlanta Voice)
The Fearless Fund is a venture capital firm founded Simone and co-partner Ayana K. Parsons. Their purpose is investing in women of color-led businesses seeking pre-seed, seed level or series A financing. Their mission is to bridge the gap in VC funding for women of color founders building scalable, growth aggressive companies. Fearless has sought to shift the levels which women of color led companies receive the investments needed to compete.
“America is supposed to be a nation where one has the freedom to achieve, the freedom to earn, and the freedom to prosper,” Simone said. “Yet, when we have attempted to level the playing field for underrepresented groups, our freedoms were stifled.
According to Parsons, more than $208 billion was deployed to entrepreneurs to start businesses in 2022. That is venture capital that seed money to start those businesses. Of that $208 billion, 0.39% of those dollars went to women of color.
Blum’s lawsuit focuses on Fearless Fund’s Fearless Strivers Grant Contest. It’s a competition that awards Black women who own small businesses $20,000 in grants. Plus, they provide digital tools to help them grow their businesses and mentorship opportunities provided by a partnership with Mastercard.
On September 26, 2023, a Federal Court Judge in Atlanta blocked a request from AAER for a preliminary injunction. It sought to prevent the Fearless Fund from considering applications for grants only from businesses led by Black women.
Conservatives’ assault on DEI continues
“Today’s decision is yet another nail in the coffin for DEI,” The Reverend Al Sharpton, President of the National Action Network, said in a statement. “Though this decision is simply outrageous, the fight is far from over. When I stood outside the courthouse in Atlanta with the Fearless Fund last year and have since led a campaign to protect DEI, I reminded everyone that there would be victories and losses in this battle, but we must keep up the fight. Because from the moment Edward Blum launched his deceitful crusade against workplace diversity, the deck has been stacked against the Fearless Fund. An organization built to help fix the enormous disparity in venture capital funding for women of color-owned businesses is seeing its mission be dismantled under the guise of fairness and equality.”
Georgia State Representative and attorney, Dar’shun Kendrick, says she’s disappointed with the ruling but not shocked.
“Certain Americans who have enjoyed privileges for years all of a sudden get amnesia when Black America demands it fulfill its promises to us,” Kendrick said. “Another friendly reminder that twice impeached and convicted felon Donald Trump did this by his Supreme Court picks. So to every Black person “sitting this one out” because you aren’t thrilled about President Joe Biden. I have one message for you: DON’T.”
The Fearless Fund to date has deployed over $26 million Black women and women of color-owned businesses. They have also deployed over 350 grants to women of color. Simone promised the Fearless Fund will continue to deploy grants. After Affirmative Action was struck down by the US Supreme Court, Simone says Fearless has lost all its partnerships except JPMorgan and Costco.
Over 8,300 doctors in 77 specialties honored as outstanding women in the medical field
NEW YORK, March 12, 2024 (Newswire.com)
– Castle Connolly today announced the release of the 2024 Exceptional Women in Medicine. This list recognizes Castle Connolly Top Doctors across the United States who have demonstrated outstanding leadership, expertise and dedication in their respective fields. There are over 8,300 women represented across 77 different medical specialties and all 50 states.
The Exceptional Women in Medicine list is compiled through a rigorous selection process that includes peer nominations, extensive research, and evaluation by the Castle Connolly research team. In addition to meeting the requirements to be selected as a Castle Connolly Top Doctor, these doctors have additional qualifications, including research and academic contributions, volunteer work within healthcare, training at top institutions, and innovations in their field of specialty.
Over the years, women have struggled with underrepresentation and being outnumbered in the medical field. Based on data from the Kaiser Family Foundation, only 38% of physicians in the United States are women. Despite an increase in women entering the medical profession, this gender gap has persisted.
“As we celebrate the growing number of women named to our Castle Connolly Top Doctors list, it’s important to recognize and elevate their achievements,” said Steve Leibforth, Managing Director at Castle Connolly. “By shining a spotlight on these Exceptional Women in Medicine, we hope to inspire more women to enter the medical field and advocate for greater representation in historically male-dominated specialties and leadership roles.”
“As a female physician, I believe my personal experiences and background equip me to be a compassionate physician and an empathetic listener,” shared Dr. Arisa Ortiz, board-certified dermatologist, and director of laser and cosmetic dermatology at UC San Diego Health. Recent studies and trends in the medical field indicate a growing recognition of the profound impact of empathy and diversity on patient care. This evolving perspective emphasizes the importance of ensuring that patients from all backgrounds feel heard and supported in their medical journey.
Dr. Lynn Model, pediatric surgeon and pediatric trauma medical director at Maimonides Children’s Hospital, echoes this sentiment. “A recent study published in JAMA Surgery highlights that women surgeons often achieve better outcomes than their male counterparts. I attribute this to our unique ability to empathize with our patients, enabling us to discern subtle signs of distress and improvement.”
The Exceptional Women in Medicine recognition is part of Castle Connolly’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Initiative, designed to honor top clinicians and enable patients to find Castle Connolly Top Doctors who have shared backgrounds and experiences. Castle Connolly released the 2024 Top Black Doctors list in February, and will announce additional recognitions in 2024, including:
Top Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) Doctors (May 7th)
Top LGBTQ+ Doctors (June 11th)
Top Hispanic & Latino Doctors (September 17th)
About Castle Connolly
With over 30 years of experience researching, reviewing and selecting Top Doctors, Castle Connolly is a trusted and credible source. In fact, a study published in the Journal of Medical Research found that across several specialties, evidence indicates that Castle Connolly’s peer-reviewed directory is methodologically more reliable than sites that just relied on patient reviews when it came to identifying quality care. Our mission is to help people find the best healthcare by connecting patients with best-in-class healthcare providers. For more information, visit https://www.castleconnolly.com.
About Everyday Health Group
The Everyday Health Group is a recognized leader in patient and provider education, attracting an engaged audience of over 81 million health consumers and over 890,000 U.S. practicing physicians and clinicians to its premier health and wellness digital properties. Our mission is to drive better clinical and health outcomes through decision-making informed by highly relevant information, data and analytics. We empower healthcare providers and consumers with trusted content and services delivered through the Everyday Health Group’s world-class brands. Everyday Health Group is a division of Ziff Davis, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZD).
NEW YORK, February 13, 2024 (Newswire.com)
– Castle Connolly announced today the release of Castle Connolly 2024 Top Black Doctors, recognizing exceptional black doctors from the Castle Connolly Top Doctor list. There are 240 doctors represented on this year’s list – more than double the doctors on the 2023 Top Black Doctor list – across 30 states and 57 specialties.
The distinction is part of Castle Connolly’s Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Initiative designed to honor top clinicians and enable patients to find Castle Connolly Top Doctors who have shared backgrounds and experiences. As part of this initiative, Castle Connolly surveyed its current Top Doctors (top 7% of physicians in the U.S., all nominated by peers), to request that they share information about their race/ethnicity, gender and sexual identity.
“There is ample evidence from research regarding healthcare disparities that disproportionately impact the Black community in the United States. We know that many of these inequities stem from socioeconomic factors, including social determinants of health,” says Dr. Talya K. Fleming, physical medicine and rehabilitation physician at Hackensack Meridian JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute and 2024 Castle Connolly Top Black Doctor. “My unique experience as a Black woman helps me to relate to my patients and their families on a different level. Research shows that when the race of the patient and the physician match, it can actually improve communication, trust and adherence to medical advice.”
“Our mission at Castle Connolly Top Doctors is to connect patients not only to best-in-class healthcare, but also to the best healthcare option for them as an individual,” says Steve Leibforth, Castle Connolly Managing Director. “Our list of Top Black Doctors facilitates this patient-doctor connection, as well as shining a spotlight on the accomplishments of these exceptional doctors.”
All Castle Connolly Top Black Doctors are nominated by their peers, after which the Castle Connolly research team evaluates specific criteria to determine who should qualify as a Top Doctor, including consideration of each nominee’s professional qualifications, education, hospital and faculty appointments, research leadership, professional reputation, disciplinary history, interpersonal skills, and outcomes data.
In addition to Castle Connolly Top Black Doctors, Castle Connolly will release additional distinctions in 2024, including:
Exceptional Women in Medicine (March)
Top Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Doctors (May)
Top LGBTQ+ Doctors (June)
Top Hispanic & Latino Doctors (September)
About Castle Connolly
With over 30 years of experience researching, reviewing and selecting Top Doctors, Castle Connolly is a trusted and credible source. In fact, a study published in the Journal of Medical Research found that across several specialties, evidence indicates that Castle Connolly’s peer-reviewed directory is methodologically more reliable than sites that just relied on patient reviews when it came to identifying quality care. Our mission is to help people find the best healthcare by connecting patients with best-in-class healthcare providers. For more information, visit https://www.castleconnolly.com.
About Everyday Health Group
The Everyday Health Group is a recognized leader in patient and provider education, attracting an engaged audience of over 81 million health consumers and over 890,000 U.S. practicing physicians and clinicians to its premier health and wellness digital properties. Our mission is to drive better clinical and health outcomes through decision-making informed by highly relevant information, data and analytics. We empower healthcare providers and consumers with trusted content and services delivered through the Everyday Health Group’s world-class brands. Everyday Health Group is a division of Ziff Davis, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZD).
For the first time, list recognizes 234 leading Hispanic and Latino doctors in the nation
NEW YORK, September 26, 2023 (Newswire.com)
– Castle Connolly today announced the release of Castle Connolly Top Hispanic & Latino Doctors 2023. It’s the first time Castle Connolly has recognized exceptional doctors within the Hispanic and Latino communities who have demonstrated outstanding expertise, patient care, and contributions to the field of healthcare. There are 234 doctors represented, across 32 states and 60 specialties.
The new distinction is part of Castle Connolly’s Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Initiative designed to honor top clinicians and enable patients to find Castle Connolly Top Doctors who have shared backgrounds and experiences. As part of this initiative, Castle Connolly surveyed its current Top Doctors (top 7% of physicians in the U.S., all nominated by peers), to share information about their race/ethnicity, gender identity, and sexual orientation.
For the Top Hispanic & Latino Doctor list, Castle Connolly has partnered with National Latino Physician Day, to bring awareness of the underrepresentation of Latino physicians, as well as encourage the next generation of Latino and Latina students to go into medicine. “We know that having concordance with ethnicity can improve outcomes for patients. Having an understanding of the culture and the language is also an important way to provide the best patient care,” says Dr. Michael Galvez, Director of Pediatric Hand Surgery at Valley Children’s Hospital and co-creator of National Latino Physician Day.
Today, the U.S. Latino population is at 19%, while only 6% of physicians across the country are Latino or Latina. By 2050, it is projected that one out of three Americans, and one out of two Californians will be of Latino background. “This large population is severely underrepresented among physicians and is also suffering from poor healthcare outcomes,” says Dr. Cesar Padilla, Clinical Associate Professor in Obstetric Anesthesiology at Stanford University and co-creator of National Latino Physician Day. “This is more than just a DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) issue – it’s an issue of population health.”
“By releasing the list of Castle Connolly Top Hispanic & Latino Doctors, our goal is to enable patients to easily find high-quality care from a provider who shares both a language proficiency as well as a cultural background,” said Steve Leibforth, Managing Director, Castle Connolly. “We are proud of this list of exceptional Latino and Latina doctors, and will continue to grow all of our DEI lists in 2024 and beyond.”
All Castle Connolly Top Hispanic & Latino Doctors are nominated by their peers, and then the Castle Connolly research team evaluates important criteria, including professional qualifications, education, hospital and faculty appointments, research leadership, professional reputation, disciplinary history, interpersonal skills and outcomes data (where available).
About Castle Connolly
With over 30 years’ experience researching, reviewing and selecting Top Doctors, Castle Connolly is a trusted and credible source. In fact, a study published in the Journal of Medical Research found that across several specialties evidence indicates that Castle Connolly’s peer-reviewed directory is methodologically more reliable than sites that just relied on patient reviews when it came to identifying quality care. Our mission is to help people find the best healthcare by connecting patients with best-in-class healthcare providers. For more information, visit https://www.castleconnolly.com.
About Everyday Health Group
The Everyday Health Group is a recognized leader in patient and provider education, attracting an engaged audience of over 76 million health consumers and over 890,000 U.S. practicing physicians and clinicians to its premier health and wellness digital properties. Our mission is to drive better clinical and health outcomes through decision-making informed by highly relevant information, data and analytics. We empower healthcare providers and consumers with trusted content and services delivered through the Everyday Health Group’s world-class brands. Everyday Health Group is a division of Ziff Davis, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZD).
NEW YORK, June 21, 2023 (Newswire.com)
– Castle Connolly, in partnership with GLMA – the leading association of LGBTQ+ and allied health professionals, today announced the release of Castle Connolly Top LGBTQ+ Doctors 2023. It’s the first time Castle Connolly has recognized exceptional doctors within the LGBTQ+ community who have demonstrated outstanding expertise, patient care, and contributions to the field of healthcare. There are 64 doctors represented, across 22 states and 34 specialties.
The new distinction is part of Castle Connolly’s Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Initiative designed to honor top clinicians and enable patients to find Castle Connolly Top Doctors who have shared backgrounds and experiences. As part of this initiative, Castle Connolly surveyed its current Top Doctors (top 7% of physicians in the U.S., all nominated by peers), to share information about their race/ethnicity, gender identity, and sexual orientation.
“Being an LGBTQ+ physician adds a powerful dimension to their ability to serve patients because LGBTQ+ doctors embody visibility and representation, inspiring hope and confidence in their patients,” says Alex Sheldon, Executive Director of GLMA. “Having health professionals who understand the unique health needs of LGBTQ+ communities first hand is invaluable for fostering trust and achieving better health outcomes. Their visible presence challenges societal norms, breaks down barriers, and inspires future generations of LGBTQ+ physicians, creating a transformative ripple effect within the medical field.”
“We are extremely proud to present the Top LGBTQ+ Doctors list as a valuable resource for LGBTQ+ patients seeking quality care,” said Steve Leibforth, Managing Director, Castle Connolly. “By highlighting these exceptional LGBTQ+ physicians, we aim to empower patients to find providers who not only possess medical excellence but also understand the unique needs and challenges faced by the LGBTQ+ community.”
All Castle Connolly Top LGBTQ+ Doctors are nominated by their peers, and then the Castle Connolly research team evaluates important criteria, including professional qualifications, education, hospital and faculty appointments, research leadership, professional reputation, disciplinary history, interpersonal skills and outcomes data (where available).
Additional 2023 recognitions from Castle Connolly’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiative include:
About Castle Connolly
With over 30 years’ experience researching, reviewing and selecting Top Doctors, Castle Connolly is a trusted and credible source. In fact, a study published in the Journal of Medical Research found that across several specialties evidence indicates that Castle Connolly’s peer-reviewed directory is methodologically more reliable than sites that just relied on patient reviews when it came to identifying quality care. Our mission is to help people find the best healthcare by connecting patients with best-in-class healthcare providers. For more information, visit https://www.castleconnolly.com.
About GLMA
GLMA is a national organization committed to ensuring health equity for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) communities and equality for LGBTQ+ health professionals in their work and learning environments. To achieve this mission, GLMA utilizes the scientific expertise of its diverse multidisciplinary membership to inform and drive advocacy, education, and research. For more information, visit https://glma.org.
About Everyday Health Group
The Everyday Health Group is a recognized leader in patient and provider education, attracting an engaged audience of over 76 million health consumers and over 890,000 U.S. practicing physicians and clinicians to its premier health and wellness digital properties. Our mission is to drive better clinical and health outcomes through decision-making informed by highly relevant information, data and analytics. We empower healthcare providers and consumers with trusted content and services delivered through the Everyday Health Group’s world-class brands. Everyday Health Group is a division of Ziff Davis, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZD).
NEW YORK, May 23, 2023 (Newswire.com)
– Castle Connolly today announced the release of Castle Connolly Top Asian American and Pacific Islander Doctors 2023, the first time it has recognized exceptional AAPI doctors in the Castle Connolly network. There are 350 doctors represented, across 35 states and 63 specialties.
The new distinction is part of Castle Connolly’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) Initiative designed to honor top clinicians and enable patients to find Castle Connolly Top Doctors who have shared backgrounds and experiences. As part of this initiative, Castle Connolly surveyed its current Top Doctors (top 7% of physicians in the U.S., all nominated by peers), to share information about their race/ethnicity, gender and sexual identity. Additionally, Castle Connolly has updated its nomination process to include pertinent questions related to diversity.
“More and more, medicine needs to incorporate and embrace diversity and inclusion because our society is comprised of people of different backgrounds and different languages, and everyone wants to receive their medical care in a comfortable way, which often means having their differences embraced,” said Dr. Maki Kano-Lueckerath, primary care physician at Mount Sinai Doctors-Japanese Medical Practice, Castle Connolly Top Doctor and Castle Connolly Top AAPI Doctor. “Growing up Asian in this country, I have always been part of a minority group and sensitive to how I could be different from the majority population in terms of culture and language. This experience gives me sensitivity and empathy to the different backgrounds of my patients, which I see as a positive.”
Asian American and Pacific Islanders are the fastest-growing racial group in the United States, comprising about 6% of the population according to the 2020 U.S. Census. This population faces health inequities driven by language and cultural barriers. A 2021 survey by Pew Research Center found that 42% of Asian immigrants ages five and older reported being less than proficient in English, making them less likely to receive recommended preventive services than English-proficient patients. Other AAPI patients may be reluctant to adhere to Western medical recommendations due to cultural beliefs and practices.
“Having an AAPI physician who shares the same cultural and linguistic background can help to bridge communication gaps and increase patient trust, which can ultimately lead to better health outcomes,” said Steve Leibforth, Managing Director, Castle Connolly. “Castle Connolly’s Top AAPI Doctors are a resource for patients seeking culturally responsive care that respects patients’ values and beliefs, as well as exceptional medical expertise.”
All Castle Connolly Top AAPI Doctors are nominated by their peers, and then the Castle Connolly research team evaluates important criteria to determine who makes the list, including professional qualifications, education, hospital and faculty appointments, research leadership, professional reputation, disciplinary history, interpersonal skills and outcomes data (where available).
The Castle Connolly Top AAPI Doctor distinction is part of Castle Connolly’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) initiative, designed to honor top clinicians and enable patients to find Castle Connolly Top Doctors who have shared backgrounds and experiences. Other 2023 recognitions include:
About Castle Connolly
With over 30 years’ experience researching, reviewing and selecting Top Doctors, Castle Connolly is a trusted and credible source. In fact, a study published in the Journal of Medical Research found that across several specialties evidence indicates that Castle Connolly’s peer-reviewed directory is methodologically more reliable than sites that just relied on patient reviews when it came to identifying quality care. Our mission is to help people find the best healthcare by connecting patients with best-in-class healthcare providers. For more information, visit https://www.castleconnolly.com.
About Everyday Health Group
The Everyday Health Group is a recognized leader in patient and provider education, attracting an engaged audience of over 76 million health consumers and over 890,000 U.S. practicing physicians and clinicians to its premier health and wellness digital properties. Our mission is to drive better clinical and health outcomes through decision-making informed by highly relevant information, data and analytics. We empower healthcare providers and consumers with trusted content and services delivered through the Everyday Health Group’s world-class brands. Everyday Health Group is a division of Ziff Davis, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZD).
Over 8,400 doctors in 77 specialties honored as outstanding women in the medical field
NEW YORK, March 21, 2023 (Newswire.com)
– Castle Connolly today announced the release of the 2023 Exceptional Women in Medicine. This list recognizes female Castle Connolly Top Doctors across the United States who have demonstrated outstanding leadership, expertise and dedication in their respective fields. There are over 8,400 doctors represented, across 77 specialties and all 50 states.
The Exceptional Women in Medicine list is compiled through a rigorous selection process that includes peer nominations, extensive research, and evaluation by the Castle Connolly research team. In addition to meeting the criteria to be selected as a Castle Connolly Top Doctor, these doctors also have additional qualifications, including contributions to healthcare through volunteer work, awards and honors, training at top institutions, contributions to research and academics, and innovations in their field of specialty.
According to data from the Kaiser Family Foundation, women account for 37% of physicians in the U.S., and have been historically underrepresented in medicine and less likely to hold leadership positions. 43% of first-time Castle Connolly Top Doctors in the past year were women, increasing the representation of women by 13% compared to the year prior, to over 19,000 women honored as 2023 Castle Connolly Top Doctors.
“We are proud to see an increasing number of women recognized as Castle Connolly Top Doctors each year,” said Steve Leibforth, Managing Director, Castle Connolly. “It is our hope that by recognizing and highlighting the achievements of these Exceptional Women in Medicine, we can inspire more women to pursue careers in medicine and help to address the under-representation of women in certain medical specialties and leadership positions.”
“Many women seek out female physicians, because we have different life experiences, and they may feel more comfortable talking about something that they know their doctor may have experienced themselves,” said Dr. Amy Lichtenfeld, Allergist-Immunologist & Internist at Eastside Medical Associates, and 5-time recipient of the Exceptional Women in Medicine recognition. “The medical field has become more diverse in the last few decades, and that helps all patients feel more comfortable speaking to someone who may come from a similar background to them or who looks like them.”
The Exceptional Women in Medicine recognition is part of Castle Connolly’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Initiative, designed to honor top clinicians and enable patients to find Castle Connolly Top Doctors who have shared backgrounds and experiences. The first-ever list of Castle Connolly Top Black Doctors was released in February, and Castle Connolly will launch other new recognitions in 2023, including:
Top Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) Doctors (May)
Top LGBTQ+ Doctors (June)
Top Hispanic/Latin Doctors (September)
About Castle Connolly
With over 30 years’ experience researching, reviewing and selecting Top Doctors, Castle Connolly is a trusted and credible source. In fact, a study published in the Journal of Medical Research found that across several specialties evidence indicates that Castle Connolly’s peer-reviewed directory is methodologically more reliable than sites that just relied on patient reviews when it came to identifying quality care. Our mission is to help people find the best healthcare by connecting patients with best-in-class healthcare providers. For more information, visit https://www.castleconnolly.com.
About Everyday Health Group
The Everyday Health Group is a recognized leader in patient and provider education, attracting an engaged audience of over 76 million health consumers and over 890,000 U.S. practicing physicians and clinicians to its premier health and wellness digital properties. Our mission is to drive better clinical and health outcomes through decision-making informed by highly relevant information, data and analytics. We empower healthcare providers and consumers with trusted content and services delivered through the Everyday Health Group’s world-class brands. Everyday Health Group is a division of Ziff Davis, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZD).
NEW YORK, February 22, 2023 (Newswire.com)
– Castle Connolly today announced the release of Castle Connolly Top Black Doctors 2023, the first time it has recognized exceptional black doctors in the Castle Connolly network. There are 114 doctors represented, across 20 states and 45 specialties.
The new distinction is part of Castle Connolly’s Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Initiative designed to honor top clinicians and enable patients to find Castle Connolly Top Doctors who have shared backgrounds and experiences. As part of this initiative, Castle Connolly surveyed its current Top Doctors (top 7% of physicians in the U.S., all nominated by peers), to share information about their race/ethnicity, gender and sexual identity. Additionally, Castle Connolly has updated its nomination process moving forward to include pertinent questions related to diversity.
“We know that patients want to connect with the best physicians in the country, and they want the best care. But they also might want to connect with physicians who are culturally similar to them,” said Dr. Jacqueline Jones, an associate professor of Clinical Otolaryngology at Weill Cornell Medical Center, managing partner of Park Avenue ENT, member, Castle Connolly Advisory Board and executive sponsor of the DEI Initiative. “That connection can be established on so many different levels – whether it’s by walking into a room and seeing someone who looks like you, or speaks the same language as you do, or having a doctor who understands where you came from and the cultural significance of your illness. Castle Connolly Top Black Doctors was created to honor the importance of this connection.”
A new survey from Everyday Health and Castle Connolly that looks at what patients want most in their doctors showed variations by race. The survey involved 1,001 consumers and 277 healthcare professionals. Almost a third of white patients said their top priority was the ability to listen to questions and concerns, while this was the most important trait for just 20 percent of Black patients. Meanwhile, Black patients were nearly twice as likely as white patients to completely agree that they would be more comfortable and more likely to listen to advice from physicians who shared their race or ethnicity or sexual orientation.
“For patients, having access to a doctor with a similar background or shared experience can improve the quality of care and positively impact health outcomes,” said Steve Leibforth, Managing Director, Castle Connolly. “At Castle Connolly, we are committed to advancing DEI and to promoting and embracing our diversity. We are proud to recognize these leading top black doctors and encourage all consumers to do their research to ensure that they are receiving optimal care.”
All Castle Connolly Top Black Doctors are nominated by their peers, and then the Castle Connolly research team evaluates important criteria to determine who makes the list, including professional qualifications, education, hospital and faculty appointments, research leadership, professional reputation, disciplinary history, interpersonal skills and outcomes data (where available).
In addition to Castle Connolly Top Black Doctors, Castle Connolly will launch other new recognitions in 2023, including:
Exceptional Women in Medicine (March)
Top Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Doctors (May)
Top LGBTQ+ Doctors (June)
Top Hispanic/Latin Doctors (September)
About Castle Connolly
With over 30 years’ experience researching, reviewing and selecting Top Doctors, Castle Connolly is a trusted and credible source. In fact, a study published in the Journal of Medical Research found that across several specialties evidence indicates that Castle Connolly’s peer-reviewed directory is methodologically more reliable than sites that just relied on patient reviews when it came to identifying quality care. Our mission is to help people find the best healthcare by connecting patients with best-in-class healthcare providers. For more information, visit https://www.castleconnolly.com.
About Everyday Health Group
The Everyday Health Group is a recognized leader in patient and provider education, attracting an engaged audience of over 76 million health consumers and over 890,000 U.S. practicing physicians and clinicians to its premier health and wellness digital properties. Our mission is to drive better clinical and health outcomes through decision-making informed by highly relevant information, data and analytics. We empower healthcare providers and consumers with trusted content and services delivered through the Everyday Health Group’s world-class brands. Everyday Health Group is a division of Ziff Davis, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZD).
The second annual LGBT Network in-person and virtual workplace summit is set for Oct. 19, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the LGBT Network Hauppauge Center at 125 Kennedy Drive, Suite 100 in Hauppauge.
The event aims to provide businesses the opportunity to advance their LGBT diversity and inclusion efforts in the workplace and create safer spaces for LGBT employees.
Participating companies include Dime Savings Bank, The Bountiful Company, Broadridge, PSEG, Henry Schein and National Grid.
In-person registration is $100.00. Registration for virtual participation is $80.00. Both include post-event access to recordings for all sessions of the event.
For further information or to register, click here.
