It started with liking controversial tweets | Morning Newsletter
And Philly needs a pro women’s basketball team.
The Morning Newsletter
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We’ll have summer weather with temps reaching the high 80s. Be sure to go outside and take in the sun.
Today’s lead story explains why Thomas Jefferson medical students are calling on their school to take action following its president’s social media activity. 🔑
We have a lot of news so let’s dive in.
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— Taylor Allen (@TayImanAllen, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
About a half-dozen organizations made up of medical students at Thomas Jefferson University are calling on the school to improve diversity efforts and publicly hold the president accountable.
What happened: President Mark Tykocinski, who is also dean of the medical college, liked tweets, some from accounts described as far-right. The tweets were critical of diversity efforts on college campuses, questioned the science of COVID-19 vaccines, and called transgender surgery “child mutilation.” Tykocinski told The Inquirer he liked them in order to bookmark them for later learning.
Students from LGBTQ and underrepresented racial groups said his explanation was “difficult to comprehend.”
Notable quote: “We believe this incident represents a broader issue concerning this institution’s lack of diversity and inclusion,” they wrote to Jefferson’s CEO Joseph Cacchione and the board of trustees in an open letter posted on Instagram. The students belong to several groups, including JeffLGBTQ and the Student National Medical Association, which supports current and future underrepresented minority medical students.
Important note: Jefferson’s medical college placed last for diversity of all medical schools in the region, and 115th of 130 medical schools nationally, according to U.S. News and World Report’s “Most Diverse Medical Schools” rankings.
Continue reading to find out the specific measures students want from Jefferson. 🔑
Philadelphia hasn’t had a women’s pro basketball team in 25 years.
During an interview with Sports Business Journal, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert discussed eight cities she was considering for two expansion teams, and Philadelphia wasn’t one of them.
Reporter Alex Coffey argues in her latest column that this is a gross oversight considering Philly’s rich legacy of women’s basketball that goes beyond local legend Dawn Staley. Some of the WNBA’s biggest stars shaped their career here, including Natasha Cloud and Kahleah Copper.
In her own words: “The history is there. The right ownership group isn’t. Which is a shame, when you consider that the 442nd-richest person in the world, according to Forbes, owns an NBA team in this very city,” Coffey wrote.
Continue reading to learn why Sixers majority owner Josh Harris should bring a WNBA team to the city. 🔑
What you should know today
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is expected to launch a Republican presidential bid next week.
Vice President Kamala Harris will come to Philadelphia Tuesday to meet with labor leaders.
Teachers are leaving Pennsylvania schools at the highest rate on record.
Most Philadelphia municipal employees no longer have to be vaccinated for COVID-19 now that national emergencies ended. Only city workers with jobs that put them in contact with patients, like doctors and nurses, have to be vaccinated.
Hybrid work means Thursday is the new Friday for Shore-goers. Flexible work arrangements help employees enjoy a longer weekend getaway.
The Roots Picnic returns this weekend bigger than ever. Black Thought spoke to our pop critic Dan DeLuca about the festival as well as his new album Glorious Game and his forthcoming memoir, The Upcycled Life. 🔑
Nearly 60 new restaurants are coming to the Philly area. 🔑
🧠 Trivia time 🧠
We have a list of the best ice cream at the Shore. Bookmark it for your next trip.
Which of these ice cream shops will celebrate its 27th anniversary this summer?
A) Scoops in Sea Isle City
B) Hassles in Wildwood
C) George’s Candies in Ocean City
D) Custard’s Last Stand in Ventnor City
Think you know? Check your answer.
What we’re...
❓Choosing: Which Philadelphia flag redesign is the best. You should vote, too. The Betsy Ross House will crown the winner in a ceremony June 14.
🌊 Planning: Summer vacation without breaking the bank (hopefully).
🏳️🌈 Celebrating: Pride Month in Philly with events throughout June.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram 🧩
Hint: The futuristic ice cream🍦
DID TOPSPIN
Think you got it? Email us your best guess. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Cheers to Yvonne Jones, who correctly guessed Wednesday’s answer, Roots Picnic.
Photo of the day
And that’s it from me. I’ll be back in your inbox bright and early tomorrow. ☀️