We recently shared the following message with our Johns Hopkins Medicine (JHM) community about disturbing social media posts made by a member of the School of Medicine faculty regarding the ongoing crisis in the Middle East. In these challenging times, we remain committed to living our JHM values.

Dear Colleagues,

We write to address the deeply disturbing social media posts made by a faculty member in the School of Medicine regarding the ongoing crisis in the Middle East. The faculty member who made these statements has been placed on leave (and thus will have no interaction with students or patients) while we conduct a thorough investigation under our policies and procedures. 

Johns Hopkins Medicine and Johns Hopkins University are committed to providing a safe and inclusive environment for working, learning and patient care for every member of our community and all those we serve. Statements that explicitly threaten or extol violence against groups or individuals on the basis of national origin, race or religion violate our policies and do not represent our values.

We greatly appreciate all that you do to uphold these values every day, and recognize that many members of our community are experiencing personal pain and anguish during this very difficult time. We remind everyone — faculty, staff, residents, clinical and postdoctoral research fellows, and students — to be mindful of the impact of your words and actions on each other and the broader community.

Resources are available to anyone who may need support or who are experiencing or witnessing discrimination or harassment of any kind. We hope you will use them and encourage your colleagues to do the same.

Again, thank you for your tireless efforts to help JHM achieve our mission of improving the health of our community and the world, and for living the values that make JHM what it is. 

Sincerely,

Theodore L. DeWeese, M.D.
Interim Dean of the Medical Faculty
CEO, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Kevin W. Sowers, M.S.N., R.N., F.A.A.N.
President, Johns Hopkins Health System
Executive Vice President, Johns Hopkins Medicine