Senators John Kennedy and Eric Schmitt introduced the EDUCATE Act, which would eliminate federal funding for medical schools that implement diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies in admissions or instruction in a way that could discriminate against students or promote certain ideological beliefs.
The bill aims to prevent schools from giving preferential treatment based on race in admissions or establishing DEI offices.
“Woke universities are forcing America’s future doctors to care more about race and gender than saving lives,” Kennedy said. “The EDUCATE Act would make sure taxpayer dollars don’t fund medical schools that discriminate against talented students or peddle progressive nonsense at the expense of science.”
Elon Musk tries to explain how lowering the standards for doctors could result in more deaths.
Don Lemon is unable to grasp the concept.
This entire exchange is incredible. pic.twitter.com/QJ3efuvVAb
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) March 18, 2024
It also seeks to prohibit schools from compelling students to affirm beliefs like the U.S. being structurally racist or that people can be categorized as oppressors/oppressed by race/ethnicity alone.
The legislation corresponds to a similar House bill and comes amid concerns that DEI initiatives could lower standards and put lives at risk to pursue racial equity.
“The medical field has traditionally been one driven by core tenants of merit, academic excellence, and superb scientific achievement, but that has not stopped the left from their malpractice of injecting DEI into every aspect of education in America,” Sen. Eric Schmitt said. “To cheapen medical schools with woke politics and DEI would be to put the lives of countless Americans in danger as students of extraordinary achievement and meticulous discipline in the field will be cast aside in the name of social justice and equity.”
Supporters argue merit, academic excellence and science should drive medical education, not political ideologies.
“I appreciate Senators Kennedy and Schmitt for recognizing the detrimental impact these initiatives will have on the future of American healthcare,” Sen. Chris Murphy said.
