Racist Staffer “Reprimanded,” Keeps Job
Do you remember Sherri Goforth, the aide to Tennessee state senator Diane Black? She’s the aide who sent out an email with a picture of all the presidents that depicted Obama as only eyeballs (’cause he’s dark, you know, har har).Well, Senator Black has responded to the calls for firing Goforth by sending a sternly worded letter.
However, Black has dug in her heels. Yesterday, she told CNN that that although the e-mail “does not represent the beliefs or opinions of my office,” she decided to keep Goforth on:
When I did find out about the communication that was sent out, I immediately called the H.R. department and through their advice did what they told me needed to be done when there was a violation of an e-mail policy by the state. And so, therefore, as you have already stated, Miss Goforth did get a verbal reprimand as well as a very strongly worded reprimand written and it was put in her file that if this should ever occur again, that she should be immediately terminated.
The Tennessee Democratic Party obtained a copy of the letter. I don’t think we could call it “strongly worded.” Think Progress has the letter.
Dear Sherri,
This is a follow up to confirm our conversation regarding the state email policy. First, as we discussed, email communications are for state use only and should not be used for purposes outside the guidelines established. Also, as we discussed, no communication that is derogatory regarding any minority should be sent from this office or that employee will be subject to termination of employment from my office. I know you take this policy seriously and I am confident that you will abide by the policy.
Your service to my office and the legislature has been commendable with the exception of this incident and I look forward to working together in the future within these guidelines.
Sincerely,
Diane Black
Seriously, you have to explain to someone not to send racist emails on state email accounts? I think there’s a more serious problem than violation of the email policy. {/understatement}
Tags: racism
We weren’t expecting any better, were we? This kind of BS is valued by these people….
I think it is an appropriate response. For one it follows the same procedure that would be taken with any other state employee. The issue should be closed. I think no matter how polite, the statement that if you do any other communication from this office derogatory to minorities, you are terminated, is very strongly worded. I think it worded in such a formal way because it was intended to be leaked. Normally personnel issues are private. I can’t see this being leaked without the employee’s permission as part of the penance.
The fact that she used state email takes it out of the free speech issue. The fact that she humiliated her boss and brought dishonor upon the state of Tennessee on state time makes this actionable.
If indeed there have been no other issues, it would be inappropriate to fire the person. The email was not threatening in anyway. No one claimed harassment. That would take it to the level of dismissal. HR policies exist to take emotion out of the process and apply standards. The fact that this is politically explosive does not override standing policy.
It is like a bad sexual joke which did not make a person feel threatened. It is disgusting, inappropriate, and hearkens back to the worst elements of America’s past.
It is no worse than the David Letterman joke. I didn’t agree with the fire Letterman movement either. That not only was sexist and degrading to teenage girls, but it played into racial/ethnic stereotypes regarding ARod. I found that angle upsetting as well.
People have a right to be racists as long as they do not use a position to effect that. The fact that she only apologized for sending it to the wrong people makes it pretty secure that she is.
Anyway let’s stop playing politics about a low level staffer in TN. This issue is now settled. It has no effect on Delaware. Hopefully we have a higher quality of staffers, though I do remember a controversy over a state employee making racist posts at Newszap.com on state time. I don’t recall your (Minner) Democrat administration firing him either. If you want to play politics, we can do it all day long.
I would rather stick with the real issue. This type of behavior is unacceptable. It should be condemned. It has been. I think the staffer is not the only one on notice of being watched. TN Senate Republicans are now on notice as well because one of their members opted to allow redemption of the offender.
The tone of the letter is just wrong. It was not a reprimand, it was complimentary.
Translation:
Dear Sherri,
This is a follow up to confirm our conversation regarding the state racial humor policy. First, as we discussed, racial jokes should be passed around by hand so we can all laugh at them without getting into “problems” with the liberal media.
The racial jokes that you have passed around my office and the legislature has been hysterical and none have ever been leaked with the exception of this incident and I look forward to getting more funny racist and sexist guffaws in the future within these guidelines.
Sincerely,
Diane Black
Further Translation:
Dear Sherri,
You were very, very, very bad. Now, since you gave me a double pinkie swear that you’ll never, ever make jokes about darkies again, you can continue to work for me.
As further punishment, you may not watch TBN or The 700 Club for one week, but instead, write “I love me some chicken” 1000 times to prove you are sincerely sorry and eat at least three meals at Popeye’s.
Sincerely,
Diane Black
PS – I’m glad the joke was about that colored guy in the White House and not me because of my last name.
There you go slipping up again in your pc war on the facts MJ. Pat Robertson was one of the first national talk shows to have an African American co-host and still does today as part of the rotation.
Watching TBN or the 700 Club would be part of the cure.
As for the tone of the letter, have you ever been in management? I believe in build, break, build. In correction you praise the person’s strengths and correct the problem. That should especially be true in something that obviously needed the person’s permission to be public. Now it is no longer about the issue, it is about politics on both sides. One side in damage control and the other in blowing this issue up and keeping it going.
Management of a political appointee is way different from that of a regular civil servant. Goforth should have been fired on the spot for what she did; there is no excuse for simply “reprimanding” her.
And I’ve never been in management, actually on the other side as a union official.
Yes, I’m in management.
It’s not a reprimand if you talk about how great a worker the person is. At my workplace, you would be fired for sending something like that on work computers. I know this for certain.
I also think a political appointee is a whole different thing. Your job as a political staffer is to make your boss look good. This doesn’t make the boss look good.
At my workplace, you would be fired for sending something like that on work computers.
That is because management fears offending its customers. But when your “customers” are the Republican base, racist emails are not a problem. Blowing the dog whistle just makes them love you more.
“Watching TBN or the 700 Club would be part of the cure.”
For what?
I used to make my kids watch religious programming when I was mad at them, just for my own humor.