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| Massachusetts (Boston): Boston Fire Dept. Ordered to END Racial Quotas!!! (11/24/03) On August 25, 2003 U.S. District Judge Richard Stearns ordered the Boston Fire Department to HIRE five white firefighters who had been rejected in 2000 because they are white! The department had been operating under a federal racial-quota order (known as the Beecher decree) since 1974 which required the Boston FD to hire 1 minority firefighter for every 1 white firefighter. White firefighter applicants Joseph Quinn, Sean O'Brien, Robert Dillon, Joseph Sullivan and C. Roger Kendrick, Jr. sued Boston in 2001 AND THEY HAVE WON! The 1974 Beecher quota order has been nullified. The District Court Judge, Richard Stearns, ordered the Boston Fire Department to hire these men ahead of all other applicants regardless of skin color. See the Adversity.Net Special Report (11/24/03) at the following link: http://www.adversity.net/BostonFD/default.htm OLDER BOSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT NEWS:
BOSTON GLOBE April 11, 2001 -- "Arguing that the city's firefighting force has become as racially mixed as the city, two white men rejected by the Boston Fire Department despite their high test scores are suing to eliminate its 27-year policy of hiring one minority applicant for every white one to achieve racial balance. "Boston lawyer Harold Lichten, who represents the men, is arguing that new census figures show the system has met its hiring goal and is no longer necessary. African-American and Hispanic firefighters make up 38.7 percent of the department - slightly higher than their percentage in the city. In 1974, when the court order took effect, only 5 percent of the city's firefighters were black. ''You can't have a quota system once you've achieved its goal,'' Lichten said, adding that it was intended as a short-term solution until the department could devise a testing procedure free of bias. "...Lichten said times have changed and noted that recent court decisions in Boston and around the country have struck down affirmative action programs. Lichten says he sees little chance the department's policy will survive. "Last year, Boston Police Commissioner Paul Evans scrapped a 19-year practice of promoting lower-scoring minority officers ahead of whites after a Suffolk Superior Court judge ruled that race shouldn't be a factor. "And three years ago, a federal appeals court ruled that the use of race as a factor in admission to Boston's exam schools was unconstitutional." "In recent years, most of the white candidates who have been selected are military veterans, or the sons and daughters of firefighters who died in the line of duty. Such applicants get preference over all candidates, regardless of race or test scores. ''If a [white] guy gets a 95 and isn't a veteran, he'll probably be Number 1,000 on the list,'' according to Peter Laizza, Boston Fire's deputy chief for human resources. "The Police Department's one-for-one hiring policy has also come under fire. Bradley Donahue of Boston sued last year after being turned down for a patrolman's job despite a 96 test score. His case is pending in federal court." (From the Boston Globe Story, page A01, Apr. 11, 2001 by Andrea Estes) [Last known link http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/ 101/nation/Boston_Fire_Dept_faces_hiring_suit+.shtml ] Massachusetts (Boston): "Two employees of the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination have refiled a lawsuit in Suffolk Superior Court charging the MCAD with being biased against them because they are white." Boyd and Packard, both white, allege they have been repeatedly passed over for promotions by less qualified and less experienced black employees. According to documentation assembled by the pair, jobs were created or modified to fit the resumes of minority hires preferred by MCAD, and other jobs at the agency have been filled by minorities without posting in an apparent effort to keep white employees from applying for those jobs. According to MCAD's web site: "The Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination's (MCAD's) mission is to ensure equality of opportunity by enforcing the Commonwealth's Anti-discrimination laws, chapters 151B & 272, through the resolution of complaints of discrimination in the areas of employment, housing, public accommodations, services, credit and education." MCAD failed to mention that in practice these protections are not extended to whites. [http://www.magnet.state.ma.us/mcad/] In commenting on the case in May 1999, MCAD's attorney, Paul Merry, attempted to portray the agency as unbiased when he said: "This commission has a long and distinguished history of advocating for diversity and I think that it will speak for itself." According to Boyd and Packard's suit, the commission's history is speaking for itself, Mr. Merry! (Quote is from 5/14/99 Boston Globe) The suit by plaintiffs Kimberly Boyd and Carolyn Packard was first filed on May 14, 1999 in U.S. District Court. Attorneys for both sides decided that the Suffolk Superior Court was a more appropriate venue for the lawsuit. The District Court dismissed the suit "without prejudice", meaning that no ruling on the merits of the case was made, and that the plaintiffs were free to re-introduce the suit, which they now have. Lawyer Mark A. White is currently representing Boyd and Packard. (Attorney Keith Partlow had originally represented the women when they filed their suit in 1999.) See also the May 1999 MCAD story, below, for further background. (Based on the Boston Herald news brief Aug. 15, 2000) [Last known link http://www.bostonherald.com/news/local_regional/lnibs08152000.htm ] Massachusetts (Boston): BOSTON - "In a case loaded with irony, two white women filed a complaint today alleging the state's top anti-discrimination agency engaged in reverse discrimination. "Kimberly Boyd and Carolyn Packard, both compliance officers for the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, allege they were passed over for promotions because of their race, WBZ radio reported today. ``It's unfortunate when the guardian can't be trusted,'' said Keith Partlow, the women's attorney. "Partlow said the 50-year-old commission exhibited a pattern of internal promotions that is inconsistent with its anti-discrimination charter. ``Minorities have been promoted, jobs have been created to fit the resumes of minorities, jobs have been filled without posting,'' Partlow said. "Both women work in the investigative division. Ms. Packard, of Worcester, has worked for MCAD for 17 years. Ms. Boyd, of Lynn, has worked there for five. Both believe in the commission's mission, which made it painful and disappointing for them to file the complaints, Partlow said." (Associated Press, via Boston Herald 05/14/99) [last known link http://www.bostonherald.com/bostonherald/lonw/mcad05141999.htm ] Massachusetts (Boston): 24 White Boston Police Officers Win Reverse Discrimination Case. Suffolk Superior Court Judge John M. Xifaras has ruled that Police Commissioner Paul F. Evans illegally bypassed 24 white officers for promotions due solely to the color of their skin. Judge Xifaras’ ruling upheld a 1998 decision by the Civil Service Commission that use of race over promotional exam scores constituted illegal racial discrimination against the white officers. The pro-racial-quota Massachusetts Association of Minority Law Enforcement Officers (MAMLEO) was predictably outraged at losing the benefit of racial quotas. Boston Police Sgt. William H. Bradley, who represents the pro-quota police group, complained bitterly that losing the use of reverse discrimination would result in promoting "fewer officers of color". Sgt. Bradley believes firmly in using reverse discrimination and quotas as a means of revenge against supposedly privileged "white" officers. He was quoted as saying "10 and 20 years ago they (the police) were (obviously) using race as a factor when they promoted all white officers." Bradley bemoaned the fact that Police Commissioner Evans would no longer be able to racially discriminate against white officers. "...every minority who resides in the city of Boston should be appalled", complained Bradley. In fact, however, a 15-year old judicially imposed racial quota decree expired in 1995, meaning that the Boston Police Department is no longer allowed to use race as a factor in hiring and promotion. That fact did not stop the pro-quota police officers from crying "foul". (No link is available. Adversity.Net reader Bill Kewer contributed to this report.) Massachusetts (Boston): [Actual Boston Globe Headline Job complaint recalls 'racial charade'.] "It was a case that rocked the city a decade ago: white twin brothers from Milton, rejected as Boston firefighters because of low test scores, were later hired by the department after they reapplied under affirmative action guidelines, claiming they were black. "But now, Philip and Paul Malone are creating a stir again, this time in the racially charged atmosphere of the MBTA, where some colleagues are suspicious and angry about one brother's recent promotions. "An anonymous letter, dated Aug. 27, was sent to MBTA General Manager Robert Prince specifically complaining about Philip Malone, who advanced last summer. [The letter said, in part] ''Because of this individual's history at the Boston Fire Department, his attitudes on affirmative action and diversity, and years of a racial charade, he is not fit for a supervisory position at the MBTA.'' [Emphasis added.] "The anonymous letter said Philip Malone 'should be [revealed] for what he has shown himself to be - a ticking time bomb of bad publicity, not worthy of trust and of such poor moral character that he can only reflect negatively upon the authority.'
"But MBTA spokesman Brian Pedro said the Malones work hard, have spotless records,
and have not been given any special treatment. ''This process was 100 percent clean,' he
said. ... [Pedro added that] Malone is an exemplary employee with 'a clean, spotless
record. He's a very good worker and he deserves this job.'" (Boston Globe
09/28/99 page B01by Tina Cassidy) [Commentary: The most interesting thing about this story, and the related story, below, is that the Malone brothers scored a failing grade on the firefighter employment test when they applied as whites! However, when they re-applied as minorities their test scores were still in the failing range, but they were hired because minorities are held to a lower standard! Also notice that the anonymous letter writer strongly implies that "bad attitudes about affirmative action and diversity" (i.e., reverse discrimination) should disqualify one from a job. This rhetoric conjures an image of thought-police and of political intolerance that has no place in the United States of America. Neither the City of Boston, nor anyone in the U.S.A., should be allowed to make race-based hiring decisions regardless of the color of the applicants! Editor]
Massachusetts (Boston):
"On several fire engines and ladder trucks in Boston a large shamrock, the symbol of
Irish pride, is visible next to standard-issue decals like the engine number and Fire
Department logo." Most firefighters don't even think about it. "But
many of the city's minority firefighters do think about it. To them, the shamrock is a
reminder that the Boston Fire Department remains an old-boy network, controlled as it has
been for more than a century by white and mostly Irish-American men." (Boston
Globe, 02/08/99, by David Armstrong, page A01)
Massachusetts (Boston):
"Mayor Thomas M. Menino said yesterday he will overhaul the management of the Boston
Fire Department and immediately move to increase the hiring of women and the promotion of
minorities on the force. [M]inority firefighters allege the department remains an
old-boy network, firmly controlled by white, mostly Irish-American men. Minorities
constitute 29 percent of the 1,592-member force, but only 3 percent of the upper
ranks." (Boston Globe, 02/10/99, by David Armstrong, page A01)
Massachusetts (Boston):
"In another blow to the city's affirmative action efforts, the state Civil Service
Commission ruled this week that six white Boston police officers were unfairly denied
promotions because of their race and should be bumped to the top of the list for higher
rank". (Boston Globe 12-18-98)
Massachusetts (Boston):
Boston City Council President James Kelly says racial preferences are "denying
innocent white people a job promotion because of their race", as quoted in the Boston
Globe 8/5/98. Not surprisingly, the NAACP and other anti-civil rights groups have
taken issue with Kelly's point of view. Related
Story: Council
President Kelly Accused of Pandering to White Voters. "Activists" accused Kelly of trying to
weaken the city's tradition of racial quotas before letting contracts on huge waterfront
construction projects. (Boston Globe 8/6/98) See Also: Boston Housing Authority Regards Shamrock as Racist! End Massachusetts: Police, Fire, Municipal |
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