PASADENA, Calif. — The Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine maintains that it's committed to issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion in its curriculum, yet an instructor at the school, Dr. Aysha Khoury, says she was let go from the classroom, just hours after she had a conversation with her students about racial disparities in medicine.
As people across the Southland protested the death of George Floyd, doctors added their voices and raised the cry “Black Lives Matter.” Dr. Khoury decided she would too.
“I think it would have been insincere of me to have a class on bias and racial health disparities being the only Black woman [physician] who grew up in America…and not have an honest conversation,” Dr. Khoury said.
On August 28 she says she spoke to her eight students about implicit bias and challenged them to think about their own biases.
“We need other doctors to ensure that they are aware of their biases, aware of their decision-making processes, so that patients have the possibility of a good health outcome and not have to worry about their Blackness and how their Blackness affects their health,” Dr. Khoury said.
Nine hours after the class, her phone rang. She was told she had been suspended. She received a follow up email stating removal from her faculty duties was “prompted by a complaint about certain classroom activities on August 28.”
“On the 57th anniversary of the 'I Have A Dream' speech, I get suspended for talking about racial health disparities,” Dr. Khoury said. “That’s stunning. It’s just stunning.”
After a review process, Dr. Khoury was cleared to work again with patients in the clinic, but she was still suspended from the classroom. Department Chair Dr. Michael Kanter wrote in a letter; “In light of multiple issues related to your job performance and conduct that have been raised with you directly or through your attorney, both prior to and as a result of the recently concluded fact-finding process, your appointment will not be renewed and will therefore expire on January 31, 2021.”
Dr. Khoury said she was shocked considering Dr. Kanter had emailed her earlier in the year in praise of her work and in consideration of a promotion writing, “I have decided to request an increase in academic rank to the Academic Appointments and Promotions Committee…Thank you for the great work you do for the school.”
She says she had great teachers and wanted to return the favor to her students.
“I’ve had incredible examples of what a good teacher should be,” Dr. Khoury said. “I was just inspired to continue in that fashion.”
A representative from the medical school told Spectrum News 1 they were limited legally by what details they could provide but said in a statement:
“Dr. Khoury was not placed on leave for bringing content related to anti-racism to the classroom or for sharing her experiences as a Black woman in medicine.”
Students are now urging that Dr. Khoury be allowed to return to the classroom. The eight students in her class that day released a statement that reads in part:
“No student felt unsafe or attacked during our class on August 28. No student reported Dr. Khoury…We want Dr. Khoury back.”
Dr. Khoury hired civil rights lawyer Lisa Holder who says she and her client have not yet been given a clear reason why she was suspended. Holder says notice of the suspension just hours after the class proves it was because Dr. Khoury is a Black woman who spoke out about race.
“No matter what you can’t fire someone or terminate their contract based on discrimination or with a discriminatory motive. That is illegal,” Holder said.
No lawsuit has been filed yet.
Dr. Khoury wants a public apology. She isn’t sure if she wants to return to the school, but she knows she wants to return to a classroom.
“I plan to have that conversation again and again and again,” Dr. Khoury said. “Their response showed me that it’s a necessary conversation.”
School Dean Dr. Mark Schuster wrote a letter January 10 apologizing to Dr. Khoury for “errors on our end” and admitted they could have done better. He said he was looking forward to a “facilitated process” to help identify a positive path forward.
Dr. Khoury still has not been offered back her teaching role. Her contract ends January 31.
Starting in 2022, Assembly Bill 241 will require doctors, nurses, and other health professionals to take implicit bias training. Kamlager-Dove’s AB 241 requires implicit bias training as a component of continued medical education (CME) for licensees under the Medical Board, Physician Assistant Board and Board of Registered Nursing.