Weill Cornell Medicine, a prestigious U.S. medical school, is facing scrutiny for its "critical race theory" course offered to faculty and students. The course, developed in collaboration with the City University of Hong Kong, promotes what some consider radical anti-racism training and amplifies negative narratives about America. Fox News Digital's investigation revealed the course encourages "woke" activism and even appears to justify violent protests in the name of racial justice, including the burning of businesses. While not mandatory, the course's content raises concerns about the growing influence of critical race theory in medical education.

Critics, such as Dr. Stanley Goldfarb of Do No Harm, argue that the training promotes racial discrimination and could lead to racially segregated healthcare. He condemns the institution's apparent focus on achieving racial quotas rather than prioritizing merit. Weill Cornell Medicine's plan to incorporate "equity content" into 50% of its medical school lectures by 2025 further fuels the debate.

The "Racial Allyship Training Course," designed by the Cornell Center for Health Equity (CCHEq), defines "woke" as being "alert to injustice in society, especially racism." The course, initially intended for White students and faculty, encourages them to leverage their "privilege" to dismantle oppressive systems. The training materials present far-left political ideologies as factual statements, claiming the existence of "White privilege" and dismissing meritocracy as a "myth." Statements such as "I believe the most qualified person should get the job" are labeled as "microaggressions."

The course encourages students to "decenter Whiteness" and prioritize marginalized voices. One module instructs students on how to counter arguments against Colin Kaepernick's kneeling protest during the national anthem. The training also promotes "unlearning" traditional concepts and emphasizes viewing behavior through the lens of historical oppression.

One controversial aspect of the training involves presenting commentary by activist Kimberly Jones, who expresses support for the burning and looting of businesses during civil unrest. The course then prompts students to consider Jones' perspective while watching a video of a Black woman disrupting a flight, emphasizing understanding her behavior in the context of systemic racism.

Adding to the controversy, CCHEq, which receives funding from the Department of Health and Human Services, collaborated with the City University of Hong Kong (CUHK) on this course. China's increasing influence over CUHK raises questions about potential foreign influence on the training's content. Cornell University also reported receiving over $10 million in foreign gifts from China, prompting concerns about the Chinese Communist Party's potential role in promoting critical race theory on American campuses.