Corewell Health failed to address a nurse practitioner who publicly described herself as a “proud Islamophobe” and shared social media posts calling for discrimination against Muslims, according to a complaint filed with the state.
The Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MI) announced Wednesday that it filed the complaint with the Michigan Department of Civil Rights on behalf of a Muslim employee who works in a locked neonatal unit at one of the health system’s hospitals. Corewell Health is the largest health system in Michigan, operating dozens of hospitals and employing tens of thousands of workers across the state.
The complaint identifies the coworker as Marley Sollars Shook, a nurse practitioner in OB triage at Beaumont Hospitals, a system that is now part of Corewell Health. According to the complaint, social media posts attributed to Shook include statements identifying herself as a “proud Islamophobe” and calling for Islam to be banned and mosques shut down.
Other shared posts mocked racial and ethnic groups, including two that pictured nooses with the messages, “I am past the point of just wanting them in prison” and “There’s a reason we used to do things the way we did.”
The posts “directly undermine the trust required in a healthcare environment” where providers treat patients from diverse backgrounds, the complaint states.
In a Feb. 13 Facebook post, Shook apologized and claimed the anti-Islam content had been posted by her husband.
“I am sorry for the post my husband made regarding anti-Islamic views,” she wrote. “I have deleted him off my Facebook and deleted the post but I understand how offensive this was to many and I do apologize. I do not share his extreme views and am truly sorry for how this has made people feel.”
It’s unclear why her husband would add vile posts to his wife’s Facebook page when, by his wife’s account, he had his own account.
The employee who filed the complaint is a Muslim woman who wears a hijab, a clear sign of her faith, according to the filing. She says she is the only visibly Muslim woman assigned to the neonatal unit where she works.
According to the complaint, Shook’s supervisors first received complaints about offensive posts on her Facebook page about two years ago. The filing alleges that no corrective action was taken, and the coworker remained in the same workplace, even though human resources personnel acknowledged receiving multiple complaints about the posts.
It’s unclear from the complaint whether Corewell disciplined Shook or whether she remains employed by the health system. Detroit Metro Times couldn’t immediately reach her or Corewell for comment.
“Despite the existence of these multiple complaints, Corewell Health has failed to take meaningful steps to address the issue or ensure a safe and nondiscriminatory workplace environment,” the complaint continues.
After the employee reported the conduct to the hospital, human resources disclosed that she was the person “driving the complaint,” raising fears of retaliation. She ultimately took leave from work, saying “the hostile work environment” caused her significant anxiety, according to the complaint.
The filing raises additional concerns about security inside the locked neonatal unit, alleging that Shook’s coworker had the ability to grant access to the restricted area and at times allowed people inside who were not authorized.
“No patient should have to wonder whether the person responsible for their care harbors hatred toward their faith, and no employee should have to work alongside someone who proudly advertises bigotry against Muslims,” CAIR-Michigan Executive Director Dawud Walid said in a statement. “Hospitals are places where trust is essential. When healthcare professionals publicly embrace Islamophobia, it undermines that trust and threatens the safety and dignity of both staff and patients.”
The complaint alleges violations of Michigan’s Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act, which prohibits religious discrimination, harassment that creates a hostile work environment, and retaliation against employees who report discrimination. CAIR-Michigan is asking the state civil rights agency to investigate and require corrective action.
“When someone responsible for caring for vulnerable patients publicly identifies themselves as a ‘proud Islamophobe,’ it raises serious concerns about bias in healthcare,” Amy V. Doukoure, lead staff attorney for CAIR-MI, said. “Patients should never have to question whether the person treating them harbors hostility toward their faith, race, or identity. Healthcare institutions have a responsibility to confront bigotry—not ignore it.”
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