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West Palm Beach Fla--Firefighters Claim Racial Discrimination
Black West Palm firefighters want chief out
By J. Christopher Hain, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Friday, June 20, 2003
WEST PALM BEACH -- Four black city firefighters threatening a discrimination lawsuit are calling for the firing of the city's white fire chief and the immediate promotion of African-Americans to the upper ranks.
Mayor Lois Frankel met with the firefighters and their attorney last week, seeking suggestions on how to solve the department's racial problems and avoid a court fight. In a letter sent this week to Frankel, the firefighters recommended removing Fire Chief Ray Carter, demoting an unnamed assistant chief, and promoting a black to battalion chief. They also want new promotional testing procedures, among other items.
For themselves, the four firefighters -- Aaron Richardson, Michael Williams, Leonard Smith and Rick Curtis -- want promotions they contend were wrongly denied, and retroactive pay raises. Curtis, who said he was retaliated against for filing discrimination complaints, also is seeking two years salary for damages.
Frank McKeown, the firefighters' attorney, said the suggestions aren't unwavering.
"Are we out there saying you better get rid of the chief? No," he said. "If we don't get some resolution, then we would have no choice but to bring (discrimination) claims and bring a lawsuit."
He said he believes Frankel is trying to resolve the problem "quietly and expeditiously." But the department's upper management must be held responsible, he said.
"It stops at the top," McKeown said. "If these things occurred, then these individuals should be brought to task."
Frankel said the fire department will be making changes in recruitment, hiring and promotions. However, she said, she was not yet passing judgment on the fire chief.
"That's a pretty dramatic suggestion," she said. "I made it very clear that I wasn't going to tolerate any kind of racial discrimination in the fire department."
Carter became chief in 2002 the city firefighters lobbied against then-Mayor Joel Daves' black nominee for the post: Rhett Turnquest, then a captain. The union contended Turnquest wasn't qualified. When city commissioners rejected Turnquest's nomination, Daves appointed Carter, a battalion chief. He also promoted Turnquest to assistant chief.
Carter was out of town and could not be reached Thursday. Brent Braunworth, president of the local firefighters' union, did not return a message seeking comment.
After reviewing fire department hiring and promotion records, McKeown offered a detailed list of problems in the letter to Frankel. Among the allegations:
• No blacks have been hired by the fire department in three years, even though there have been 26 such applicants.
•The department failed to promote qualified black firefighters who scored higher on written exams than white firefighters.
•Oral exams for promotion are racially biased.
•White firefighters were promoted even though they scored poorly on oral exams.
•No blacks sit on the department's oral examination board.
•Black firefighters who complained about discrimination suffered retaliation.
Frankel said the department must improve its minority recruitment and needs a much fairer promotions process.
The city may consider bringing some people from outside the department onto review boards and offering all applicants equal study groups for exams.
"I think we have some good suggestions," Frankel said. "I'd like to take a look at their recommendations."
The four firefighters recommended:
•Removal of fire chief and operational chief.
•Promoting candidates to fire chief and operational chief who are racially sensitive.
•Promoting a black to a battalion chief.
•Reorganizing the city human resources department. (The director and a top assistant were fired last week by Frankel.)
•Establishing race-neutral written and oral testing.
•Adding a black to the hiring and promotions boards.
McKeown said the suggestions would bring the fire department back into racial balance.
"We just want to make it right," he said.
[email protected]
By J. Christopher Hain, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Friday, June 20, 2003
WEST PALM BEACH -- Four black city firefighters threatening a discrimination lawsuit are calling for the firing of the city's white fire chief and the immediate promotion of African-Americans to the upper ranks.
Mayor Lois Frankel met with the firefighters and their attorney last week, seeking suggestions on how to solve the department's racial problems and avoid a court fight. In a letter sent this week to Frankel, the firefighters recommended removing Fire Chief Ray Carter, demoting an unnamed assistant chief, and promoting a black to battalion chief. They also want new promotional testing procedures, among other items.
For themselves, the four firefighters -- Aaron Richardson, Michael Williams, Leonard Smith and Rick Curtis -- want promotions they contend were wrongly denied, and retroactive pay raises. Curtis, who said he was retaliated against for filing discrimination complaints, also is seeking two years salary for damages.
Frank McKeown, the firefighters' attorney, said the suggestions aren't unwavering.
"Are we out there saying you better get rid of the chief? No," he said. "If we don't get some resolution, then we would have no choice but to bring (discrimination) claims and bring a lawsuit."
He said he believes Frankel is trying to resolve the problem "quietly and expeditiously." But the department's upper management must be held responsible, he said.
"It stops at the top," McKeown said. "If these things occurred, then these individuals should be brought to task."
Frankel said the fire department will be making changes in recruitment, hiring and promotions. However, she said, she was not yet passing judgment on the fire chief.
"That's a pretty dramatic suggestion," she said. "I made it very clear that I wasn't going to tolerate any kind of racial discrimination in the fire department."
Carter became chief in 2002 the city firefighters lobbied against then-Mayor Joel Daves' black nominee for the post: Rhett Turnquest, then a captain. The union contended Turnquest wasn't qualified. When city commissioners rejected Turnquest's nomination, Daves appointed Carter, a battalion chief. He also promoted Turnquest to assistant chief.
Carter was out of town and could not be reached Thursday. Brent Braunworth, president of the local firefighters' union, did not return a message seeking comment.
After reviewing fire department hiring and promotion records, McKeown offered a detailed list of problems in the letter to Frankel. Among the allegations:
• No blacks have been hired by the fire department in three years, even though there have been 26 such applicants.
•The department failed to promote qualified black firefighters who scored higher on written exams than white firefighters.
•Oral exams for promotion are racially biased.
•White firefighters were promoted even though they scored poorly on oral exams.
•No blacks sit on the department's oral examination board.
•Black firefighters who complained about discrimination suffered retaliation.
Frankel said the department must improve its minority recruitment and needs a much fairer promotions process.
The city may consider bringing some people from outside the department onto review boards and offering all applicants equal study groups for exams.
"I think we have some good suggestions," Frankel said. "I'd like to take a look at their recommendations."
The four firefighters recommended:
•Removal of fire chief and operational chief.
•Promoting candidates to fire chief and operational chief who are racially sensitive.
•Promoting a black to a battalion chief.
•Reorganizing the city human resources department. (The director and a top assistant were fired last week by Frankel.)
•Establishing race-neutral written and oral testing.
•Adding a black to the hiring and promotions boards.
McKeown said the suggestions would bring the fire department back into racial balance.
"We just want to make it right," he said.
[email protected]
Is there some form of knowledge that we white folk automatically have that no other race has?
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