Seattle Children’s Hospital is under fire after leaked training materials revealed that staff in the gastroenterology department were segregated by race during mandatory training sessions in August 2022. The training, which was part of a broader Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiative, divided employees into three racial groups: White, Black, and “non-Black people of color (POC).”
The sessions, led by diversity consultants and hospital staff, aimed to promote “racial identity development” and race-consciousness among employees. White participants were instructed to “divest” from their “Whiteness” and reflect on “repressed racial memories,” while Black participants were asked to explore how they combat internalized anti-Black messages. The training was overseen by Roberto Montenegro, a child psychiatrist at the hospital, who has openly described his work as using a “social justice lens.”
Critics argue that these training sessions go beyond education and into the realm of ideological indoctrination. Stanley Goldfarb, founder of the organization Do No Harm, condemned the training as divisive and counterproductive. “There’s no evidence that they will improve healthcare, but rather serve to further polarize patients and physicians,” Goldfarb said.
The leak has sparked a broader debate about the role of Critical Race Theory (CRT) and DEI initiatives in healthcare. Many argue that such programs could undermine the principle of equal treatment in medicine, leading to biased care. The controversy at Seattle Children’s Hospital is the latest in a series of incidents where CRT and DEI initiatives have faced backlash for potentially compromising professional standards and patient trust.
The hospital has yet to address the concerns raised by the leaked materials, but the incident has intensified scrutiny of DEI practices in the healthcare sector, with critics questioning whether such programs align with the fundamental goals of medicine.
