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This is something that has bugged me for years. YEARS. To the point that today, the ex manager came in asking for me to do a video for him; and I had to refuse. I sent him to my competitor, but I doubt they'll help him either, not after what happened. (This isn't in Morons In Management for a reason.)
Roughly three years ago, I was hired to work for a place called the "****" foundation. In essence, I was a security guard/ drill seargent for a youth offender home. I worked midnight to eight five days a week, with random days off.
You know, when I first started there, things were great. The boys respected me a great deal, and respected my decisions and disciplinary actions. Over time, things began to change. I couldn't help but notice the fact that I and one other gentlemen, were the only caucasian workers there. Furthermore, of the eighteen boys incarcerated there, only two were caucasian. This struck me as odd, and I often talked with the other gentleman about it.
Things started getting worse over time. The boys began to act out, and I found out over time that the people who "owned" the foundation were letting these boys get out of my discipline. Why? Well, in some cases they claimed I had only put the punishment because I am white, and they weren't. Though, it never seemed to come up that I rode Zack (one of the boys) just as hard, if not harder than the others. And he, was white.
In the end, I got to a point where I barely cared. I came to work, sat in the dark at the long end of a hallway and fought to stay awake. I didn't care anymore and it showed. One of the boys, a young man who is now a US marine, even asked me. "Sarge" (a few of them called me that) "Why do they ride you so hard? You're the fairest we gots?" I wish that I could have explained it to him. I suspected the reason, but couldn't prove it.
While I was there, we had a suicide attempt. Now this is never funny, and yet somehow this ended up making everyone chuckle. This boy hit upon the bright idea to hang himself. But, since he was too short to reach anything of height, he opted to hold onto the belt himself. Meaning that he'd pull it tight enough to pass out, then his grip would slip, belt would loosen, and he'd wake back up. When that didn't work, he tried to cut himself with a plastic ruler and failed, only to end up in protective custody at the hospital. It turned out, the ****s had been with holding the boy's Lithium, because quote "They wanted to get the demons out of the boy." Yes. I know that's crazy sounding, but that's the gist of it. This boy, he was (reason for past tense, but it didn't happen on my watch) a mormon. The ****s, however, would force him to go to a baptist church; and punish him if he refused. He finally found a way out.
About six months into my employment, I head into work to find this beat up old truck there. There's also another car which I recognize. Heading in, I find this other gentleman (whose name eludes me) and lady talking. They look up at me with pure shock and he says quote. "I thought you weren't supposed to be here." Oh really? The woman gave him a look, he hushed up and she added. "Mister **** wants you to call him in the morning when your shift is over." The night went slowly, the other guy refusing to talk to me, or even really acknowledge my presence.
When I went home, I didn't call right away. I was dead tired, but I knew why he wanted me to call. Around 1 that evening, I called, only to be told over the phone that I was fired. Oh joy. To make matters worse, I wasn't allowed on the property to collect my final check.
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A few days after this incident, I contacted the DOL about this. In the claim, I stated how I had been terminated, and when asked why; I told them how I (and the other caucasian worker) had both been fired. Yet, in our place, two black men had been hired. Candidly, I told the DOL investigator that I felt the reason I was fired, was they wanted the foundation to originally be AA (African American) only, and I, was not AA.
DOL Investigated it, confirmed much of what I said, but dropped this blockbuster on me.
Due to Georgia's laws at the time (this has since changed) it was perfectly legal to terminate a caucasian male (note, not female) and hire an AA male in his place. By state law, that was not considered discrimination. However, do it in reverse, and it's grounds for lawsuit. Further, while I did have a valid claim for unemployment, sadly by Ga. Law, not for profit places were not required to pay such.
So, what happened? It's been some time since then.
Here's what I know from acquaintences.
1.) The foundation was closed after for a time after Zack escaped. It turned out that he was supposed to be on medications and taking anger management courses, but the ****s were not issuingthem. Furthermore, Zack's stipend from the state had vanished, and he was experiencing...well, I guess the word is resistance, from the ****s. Without a judge's permission, they had opted to keep him two months longer than he was sentenced to.
2.) The state descended on the place after the DOL passed on my report. They found the foundation to be lacking in enough places to cause the funding to be cut in half. Further more, they found the ****s in the place at the time, which according to the contract they told the state, they would have no direct contact with the place.
Thanks for letting me vent. Still, let me add a final thought here:
We hear talk about discrimination, and so called reverse discrimination. Well, let me tell you. I've been the victim of it, and there didn't seem to be anything reverse about it. I was fired for my skin color. I don't care WHO you are, or what you think. That's something that needs put an end to. Sadly, in many cases, the states don't care. In many states, mine included, there IS no reverse discrimination. And, since it doesn't exist, none of this ever happened. Move along. Nothing to see here.
Roughly three years ago, I was hired to work for a place called the "****" foundation. In essence, I was a security guard/ drill seargent for a youth offender home. I worked midnight to eight five days a week, with random days off.
You know, when I first started there, things were great. The boys respected me a great deal, and respected my decisions and disciplinary actions. Over time, things began to change. I couldn't help but notice the fact that I and one other gentlemen, were the only caucasian workers there. Furthermore, of the eighteen boys incarcerated there, only two were caucasian. This struck me as odd, and I often talked with the other gentleman about it.
Things started getting worse over time. The boys began to act out, and I found out over time that the people who "owned" the foundation were letting these boys get out of my discipline. Why? Well, in some cases they claimed I had only put the punishment because I am white, and they weren't. Though, it never seemed to come up that I rode Zack (one of the boys) just as hard, if not harder than the others. And he, was white.
In the end, I got to a point where I barely cared. I came to work, sat in the dark at the long end of a hallway and fought to stay awake. I didn't care anymore and it showed. One of the boys, a young man who is now a US marine, even asked me. "Sarge" (a few of them called me that) "Why do they ride you so hard? You're the fairest we gots?" I wish that I could have explained it to him. I suspected the reason, but couldn't prove it.
While I was there, we had a suicide attempt. Now this is never funny, and yet somehow this ended up making everyone chuckle. This boy hit upon the bright idea to hang himself. But, since he was too short to reach anything of height, he opted to hold onto the belt himself. Meaning that he'd pull it tight enough to pass out, then his grip would slip, belt would loosen, and he'd wake back up. When that didn't work, he tried to cut himself with a plastic ruler and failed, only to end up in protective custody at the hospital. It turned out, the ****s had been with holding the boy's Lithium, because quote "They wanted to get the demons out of the boy." Yes. I know that's crazy sounding, but that's the gist of it. This boy, he was (reason for past tense, but it didn't happen on my watch) a mormon. The ****s, however, would force him to go to a baptist church; and punish him if he refused. He finally found a way out.
About six months into my employment, I head into work to find this beat up old truck there. There's also another car which I recognize. Heading in, I find this other gentleman (whose name eludes me) and lady talking. They look up at me with pure shock and he says quote. "I thought you weren't supposed to be here." Oh really? The woman gave him a look, he hushed up and she added. "Mister **** wants you to call him in the morning when your shift is over." The night went slowly, the other guy refusing to talk to me, or even really acknowledge my presence.
When I went home, I didn't call right away. I was dead tired, but I knew why he wanted me to call. Around 1 that evening, I called, only to be told over the phone that I was fired. Oh joy. To make matters worse, I wasn't allowed on the property to collect my final check.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
A few days after this incident, I contacted the DOL about this. In the claim, I stated how I had been terminated, and when asked why; I told them how I (and the other caucasian worker) had both been fired. Yet, in our place, two black men had been hired. Candidly, I told the DOL investigator that I felt the reason I was fired, was they wanted the foundation to originally be AA (African American) only, and I, was not AA.
DOL Investigated it, confirmed much of what I said, but dropped this blockbuster on me.
Due to Georgia's laws at the time (this has since changed) it was perfectly legal to terminate a caucasian male (note, not female) and hire an AA male in his place. By state law, that was not considered discrimination. However, do it in reverse, and it's grounds for lawsuit. Further, while I did have a valid claim for unemployment, sadly by Ga. Law, not for profit places were not required to pay such.
So, what happened? It's been some time since then.
Here's what I know from acquaintences.
1.) The foundation was closed after for a time after Zack escaped. It turned out that he was supposed to be on medications and taking anger management courses, but the ****s were not issuingthem. Furthermore, Zack's stipend from the state had vanished, and he was experiencing...well, I guess the word is resistance, from the ****s. Without a judge's permission, they had opted to keep him two months longer than he was sentenced to.
2.) The state descended on the place after the DOL passed on my report. They found the foundation to be lacking in enough places to cause the funding to be cut in half. Further more, they found the ****s in the place at the time, which according to the contract they told the state, they would have no direct contact with the place.
Thanks for letting me vent. Still, let me add a final thought here:
We hear talk about discrimination, and so called reverse discrimination. Well, let me tell you. I've been the victim of it, and there didn't seem to be anything reverse about it. I was fired for my skin color. I don't care WHO you are, or what you think. That's something that needs put an end to. Sadly, in many cases, the states don't care. In many states, mine included, there IS no reverse discrimination. And, since it doesn't exist, none of this ever happened. Move along. Nothing to see here.
Or to be held for longer than ordered.
.
) 
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