E911 operator passed
over for promotion
Black Americus woman accuses Middle Flint Regional E 911
Center of discriminating against her after two White operators she trained
received promotions over her.
Staff Reports
Tamara L. Clark, who is black, alleges in her complaint
filed with the local NAACP that she was passed over for promotions that were
given to white women she trained. Clark alleges that she is being discriminated
against and that the discrimination is putting less qualified people in higher
positions.
"Making these decisions, (my supervisor) has discriminated
against me as well as putting the public and responding units in danger by
promoting people to positions they're not capable or competent to handle," Clark
said.
Clark said she has also filed a discrimination complaint
with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the authority board of
Middle Flint Regional E 911 Center.
Paul Farr, attorney representing Middle Flint, said based
on a thorough investigation of the agency's personnel committee, the promotion
decisions are not racially motivated. However, officials with the local NAACP
said, “Attorney Farr did not make it clear to the E911 board how racist it is
for any human being that is insulted like they are doing Mrs. Clark. A Black
trains white people and Ellice Fancher promotes all four whites over the Black
trainer. What a rabid racist act?”
Clark came to Middle Flint Regional E 911 Center in late
2004, after her job as dispatcher at the Americus Police Department. In an
interview with the Americus-Sumter Observer, Clark said she became interested in
communications because she loves to talk and considers herself a "people's
person."
"I felt it was the best position for me," Clark said. She
said because of her experience on the job, Middle Flint has been utilizing her
to train co-workers. When the positions of communication officer supervisors
came open, she applied for them. But Clark said she was overlooked for the very
white co-workers she had trained, co-workers who had no formal experience.
"Ms. Ellice Francher (Clark's supervisor) chose to promote
another friend, a white female co-worker, with no formal experience to the
available position," Clark said in the NAACP complaint. "I want to let everyone
know that I do my job well and I deserve that position. They have continued to
hire unqualified candidates over me. It's like if you're a white friend, let's
give them the position."
In a letter to the NAACP, the firm of Barnes, Farr &
NeSmith, which represented Middle Flint Regional E 911, said the agency's
personnel committee, which included a black employee member, conducted a full
investigation into the grievance.
According to the attorneys, the committee members said the
hiring process was conducted fairly and refuted claims that the promotion was
racially motivated. They stated the application process took more than a year to
gauge the candidates' performances, willingness to perform extra duties and the
initiative each employee took to improve the center.
The firm did not state why Clark was not chosen for the
position but they did add Francher had planned to promote a black male employee
to the supervisor position, but the black employee declined.
Clark said Middle Flint has recently promoted another black
woman to supervisor position but Clark added it was just an attempt by Middle
Flint to cover up the discrimination against her.
As a result of the complaint filed with the Authority
Board, Clark said she was given the title of senior operator, but Clark added,
"It's just a title with no added authority or pay." Clark said she is still
waiting for the EEOC to settle the complaint.
Dr. John Marshall, president of the Sumter County Branch of
the NAACP, said his organization is not satisfied with Middle Flint's
explanation. The NAACP still plans to contest the promotions, he said. "They
never did answer why would you allow someone to train four white women and you
put all of them over her (Clark)," Marshall said. "This is 2006, I thought we
had gotten beyond that."
