Two college scholarships are facing scrutiny from an organization claiming they discriminate against white male applicants.
Do No Harm, a nonprofit organization that describes itself as “a national association of medical professionals combating the attack on our healthcare system from woke activists,” has filed two lawsuits against separate scholarship programs it claims exclusively benefit “underrepresented” minorities, Fox News reports.
One lawsuit targets the Society of Military Orthopaedic Surgeons’ (SOMOS) E. Anthony Rankin Scholarship Program on behalf of a DNH member who claims he could not proceed with the scholarship application process because he is a white male.
“Member A was hurt and dismayed that SOMOS would use his race — which he cannot control — to preclude him from participating in the program and learning from some of the country’s most distinguished orthopedic surgeons in service of our nation’s military and veteran communities,” the complaint states.
The lawsuit states that the scholarship program is designed for “underrepresented medical students” and pairs participants with a “U.S. Military host” at one of two medical centers. The program, which lasts four weeks, offers up to $12,000 to cover “travel, housing, and daily per diem for the duration” of their military service, according to the program’s website description, which is quoted in the filing.
The lawsuit, which also listed Defense Health Agency Director Telita Crosland, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, and others in their official capacities as defendants, argues that by operating “in partnership with SOMOS, a race-based service-learning program” for students pursuing orthopedic surgery, they are violating the Fifth Amendment.
“But the program excludes white, male applicants,” the complaint states.
DNH seeks a permanent injunction to prevent enforcement of the program’s eligibility requirements and, if needed, “a preliminary injunction barring Defendants from enforcing the program’s racial requirement.”
DNH also filed a suit against the University of Colorado’s “Underrepresented Minority Visiting Elective Scholarship” on behalf of a member “who is ready and able to apply for the scholarship” but cannot due to his race, the complaint claims. The scholarship is provided through the university’s medical school’s Radiation Oncology Department as part of its visiting elective rotation.
The lawsuit cites the scholarship, which offers “up to $2,000 reimbursement for ‘the cost of lodging, travel, and related expenses for [the] four-week elective.’” To be eligible for the scholarship, applicants must be enrolled at an accredited medical school and in good standing. They are also required to submit a “brief statement of interest.”
“Scholarship is prioritized based on the applicant’s interest in pursuing a career with underserved populations, service, leadership, and academic achievement,” the filing states.
However, DNH claims that the scholarship is intended for individuals from historically disenfranchised communities, despite the scholarship website stating that it is “not limited to” specific races.
“But the scholarship is not open to everyone,” the complaint states. The filing says the scholarship specifies eligibility is open to those “‘who identif[y] with groups who are recognized as historically underrepresented in medicine including but not limited to African American/Black, Native American, Hispanic/Latino, Pacific Islander, LGBTQ+, or those from a disadvantaged socioeconomic background.’”
The lawsuit says the DNH member “meets all nonracial eligibility requirements” for the scholarship. The nonprofit seeks a declaratory judgment, arguing that the scholarship violates the Equal Protection Clause and Title VI, and a permanent injunction “barring Defendants from seeing or considering applicants’ race when selecting the recipients.”
“Although Member A meets all the nonracial eligibility requirements and would be a strong candidate for the scholarship, Member A is not eligible to apply because he is a white, straight male and does not identify as any other ethnicity,” the complaint states.
The DNH lawsuits are part of a broader pushback against DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) initiatives. Conservative-led groups are challenging such programs, claiming they discriminate against white individuals. This follows the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023 6-3 decision to strike down affirmative action, ruling against using race as a factor in college admissions.
In September, the Fearless Foundation, a charity dedicated to closing the economic funding gap for Black women-owned businesses, was targeted and ultimately shut down for using race as a criterion to support these businesses.
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