Dear Subscribers and Readers of Diversity Briefings:
After thinking about it, I decided my new eBook, Cash In On Diversity, should only cost 99 cents. It's a new eBook trend that I am responding to -- keeping the cost way down so that nearly everyone who is interested has an opportunity to read this information. And, I really like this idea!
At the same time, I also lowered the price of Who Killed Emmett Till?, as well, to 99 cents.
Please send me your comments and I always appreciate your reviews -- good and bad.
Here is a link to today's news release on the Till book with this information:
Not too long ago, I watched reporter Wolf Blitzer of CNN shake his head and say "I didn't think things like this happened any more." He was reporting on a civil rights violation of an African American (I don't even remember what this particular event was about).
I do remember that I was so disgusted that someone who reports national news would think racist incidents like those that used to be reported during the modern civil rights movement simply don't happen today.
Really, Wolf? Look at the story I just read this morning out of Mansfield, Ohio, reported by WFMD.com -- a news report eminating not exactly from the Deep South:
Just in case you are walking around with your head in the sand -- like the Wolf Blitzers of the world -- it does still happen.
What if this were your son?
The Mansfield Branch of the NAACP is responding to the outcome of an investigation by the Richland County Sherriff's Office into allegations of misconduct involving a juvenile that was in custody at the jail.
Three Richland County Corrections officers and one retired Corrections Officer were criminally charged Thursday. Sgt. Kristin Gillis, 41, corrections officers Rodney Gallaway, 47, and Michael Reef, 45, and former corrections officer George Isaman, 65, were charged with dereliction of duty of second-degree misdemeanor; interfering with civil rights, a first-degree misdemeanor; and endangering children, a first-degree misdemeanor.
Maj. Dale Fortney said the department will pursue separate administrative charges against Gillis, Gallaway and Reef and four other corrections officers involved in the incident.
The officers are accused of leaving 17-year-old, Kenneth Puckett, in a freezing garage on the second floor of the jail where he was shackled to a concrete pillar while fully restrained in a restraint chair. The garage doors were opened exposing Puckett to the extreme cold weather for more than two hours as he screamed in agony.
The Mansfield Branch of the NAACP issued the following news release in response to the outcome of the Kenneth Puckett investigation at the Richland County Jail:
The Mansfield Unit of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is dismayed at the outcome of the Kenneth Puckett case. No individual should be subject to the inhumane treatment this young man received while in the custody of the County jail. It is also our position that no employee paid for with public funds should ever be allowed to participate in such a deplorable act and continue to remain in public employment. The continued public employment of these individuals is inappropriate and the decision to charge these offenses as misdemeanors is indefensible.
The corrections officers involved in this incident were seven adults who were in a position of authority over a minor in their custody. To deliberately expose him to below freezing temperatures for hours while barefoot, wearing the jail uniform and restrained to a chair can be described as nothing short of criminal. Many, many individuals in this community have felony records for much less. The outcome of this case demonstrates a systemic inability to discern what does and does not constitute inhumane treatment and spotlights an outrageous abuse of power and authority. Furthermore, the willingness of the legal system to turn a blind eye to the severity of such abuses by public employees merits further action.
The NAACP recognizes that not all jail corrections officers and Sheriff’s office personnel condoned this reprehensible behavior. We are grateful that within that institution, there were individuals who witnessed these actions and reported them to the public rather than relying on an internal investigation to ensure a just resolution.
Founded in 1909, the NAACP is the nation's oldest and largest civil rights organization. Its members throughout the United States and the world are the premier advocates for civil rights in their communities, eradicating civil rights violations, conducting voter mobilization and monitoring equal opportunity in the public and private sectors.
Gillis, Gallaway, Reef and Isaman will make their first appearance in Mansfield Municipal Court on June 23 at 10 a.m.
Gillis, Gallaway, and Reef have been reassigned to jail posts and will have no contact with inmates until the issue is resolved. Isaman recently retired from the sheriff's office.
Volume 1, Issue 20. Published Each Monday - Friday
Welcome back to Diversity Briefings
I hope you are enjoying each issue of this newsletter. Please feel free to resend this Diversity newsletter on to friends and colleagues. If you would like to subscribe to receive daily updates, the form for Diversity Briefings is below. Also, if you have some extra time, take a look at the new diversity glossary, upper left on this blog site. Take Care and Good Reading! Susan Klopfer, editor and publisher P.S. This is a VERY brief issue today. Our apologies. We will be back in full form, tomorrow. sk
Remember, You can subscribe to Diversity Briefings here
Enter your email address:
Delivered by FeedBurner ----- ----- ----- ----- 12,000 American Muslims to Make Pilgrimage to Mecca (United States, Saudi Arabia) Omar Sacirbey, for Religion News Service: Some 12,000 American Muslims are expected to join an estimated 2.5 million pilgrims in the Saudi Arabian city of Mecca for the hajj, the annual Islamic pilgrimage that this year runs between Nov. 14 and 18. The number of pilgrims expected is about the same as in recent years, said Nail Al-Jubeir, a spokesman for the Saudi Arabian embassy in Washington, D.C., which limits pilgrims to making the pilgrimage no more than once every five years.Islam requires followers who are physically and financially capable to complete the hajj once in their lifetime. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/09/12000-american-muslims-to_n_781230.html ///// Alameda County juries not reflective of community diversity, report finds Paul T. Rosynsky, for The Oakland Tribune: Criminal defendants in Alameda County are being denied their right to be judged by a jury of their peers, a new study found, because the court system is failing to attract enough African-Americans and Latinos to its jury pool. An analysis of 11 criminal cases conducted in the last year found that, on average, blacks and Latinos each make up only 8 percent of a jury while the two racial groups constitute 18 percent and 12 percent, respectively, of the county's population. Meanwhile, the study conducted by the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California, found that whites make up, on average, 54 percent of juries and Asians constitute 26 percent. Whites constitute 54 percent of the county's population while Asians make up 15 percent. http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_16629478?nclick_check=1 ///// Queen Bees are the Consequence, Not the Cause, of Workplace Sexism Queen Bee is a term used in business psychology to refer to women in senior positions who boast about their own masculine attributes, whilst derogating their female subordinates and endorsing sexist stereotypes. According to articles in the popular press, the presence of Queen Bees is as much a cause of gender inequality at work as is the sexism shown by men. A new article by Belle Derks and her colleagues challenges this claim, arguing instead that sexist work-places are a breeding ground for Queen Bees - that the latter are a consequence, not a cause, of sexism at work. (Derks B, Ellemers N, van Laar C, and de Groot K (2010). The British journal of social psychology.) http://bps-research-digest.blogspot.com/2010/11/queen-bees-are-consequence-not-cause-of.html ///// Workplace Violence Prevention: That Couldn’t Happen here? Jennifer Brown Shaw and Geoffrey M. Hash for The Daily Recorder: Workplace violence incidents remain in the news. The headlines contain shocking accounts of attacks at workplaces of all sizes, in the public and private sectors. The industries involved range from academia to office environments, from government offices, to manufacturing settings. The locations vary from Connecticut to Texas; from Albuquerque to Baltimore. Perpetrators and victims alike come from all backgrounds, crossing gender, race, socio-economic, educational, professional and virtually all other lines. Yet, the headlines only scratch the surface because the news media typically report on only the most sensational issues, usually involving homicide and guns. In reality, the problem of workplace violence is bigger than we are led to believe by selective coverage. http://shawvalenza.com/publications.php?id=287 ///// Shining a spotlight on gender bias in movies Heidi Stevens, Tribune Newspapers: A new study that reveals family films often portray female characters as eye candy. The Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, founded by the "Thelma and Louise" actress in 2004 to improve images of girls in television and films, recently commissioned a study that examined 122 top-grossing domestic family films rated G, PG and PG-13 from 2006 to 2009. The findings: Of 5,554 speaking characters studied, 71 percent were male, 29 percent female, and 24 percent of females were depicted in sexualized attire, as opposed to 4 percent of males. http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2010-11-16/features/sc-fam-1116-movie-bias-20101116_1_gender-character-geena-davis-institute ///// Senate looks at a bill to update the Equal Pay Act of 1963 From National Public Radio: The Senate will take up a bill making sure men and women receive the same pay for the same work. Some see it as a needed update to the Equal Pay Act of 1963, other think it will be a burden on businesses. http://marketplace.publicradio.org/display/web/2010/11/17/am-the-senate-looks-at-a-bill-to-update-the-equal-pay-act-of-196/
/////
You can subscribe to Diversity Briefings here
Enter your email address:
It's great to see you here. I hope you are enjoying the stories and links. Please feel free to resend this Diversity newsletter on to friends and colleagues. If you would like to subscribe to receive daily updates, the form for Diversity Briefings is below. Good reading!
And remember ... It's Election Day—Get Out And Vote!
The midterm elections held today will determine who controls Congress and have a profound impact on redistricting. Be sure to make your voice heard.
Today’s New Topics: Searching for Religious Freedom, Mix It Up Day, Australian Pride in Diversity, Families and Job Interviews, Discrimination on Appearance, Juan Williams Redux, New Business in Battling Office Bullies, Spaghetti Wednesdays and Cultural Roots ----- ----- ----- ----- Searching for Religious Freedom
If you haven't signed up for Mix It Up at Lunch Day yet, there's no time to waste. Add your school to the Mix It Up map now. You'll be joining thousands of other schools across the country as they help students cross social barriers and shake up cliques. National Mix It Up at Lunch Day will take place Nov. 9—next Tuesday.
Continued -- http://www.tolerance.org/mix-it-up/map?newsletter=TT110210
///// Australian Federal Police Sponsor implementation of Australian Equity Index Through Pride in Diversity
///// "How's the Family?": Family-Responsibilities Discrimination In Job Interviews
By now, most interviewers know it is inappropriate to ask in an interview: “How old are you” (you can ask if the person is 18 years of age or older) or “Do you celebrate Ramadan?” There is another danger zone in interviewing, which is often unrecognized by employers but which can get them into just as much trouble: questions pertaining to an applicant’s family or family responsibilities.
Click here to continue -- http://www.delawareemploymentlawblog.com/2010/11/hows_the_family_familyresponsi.html
///// Beauty And The Bias
The controversy over discrimination in employment based on appearance is heating up again. Newsweek recently ran a special report entitled "The Beauty Advantage" that included a survey of hiring managers, 57% of whom said qualified but unattractive candidates will have a harder time landing a job. More than half of the managers in the survey advised job applicants to invest time and money in "making sure they look attractive" instead of on polishing a resume. In addition, Stanford law professor Deborah Rhode has authored a new book entitled The Beauty Bias that decries appearance discrimination and urges legal reforms to prohibit it.
The debate on the firing of commentator Juan Williams from NPR has addressed virtually every aspect of the topic. But it’s a good illustration of an issue that comes up in the workplace when discrimination and discriminatory words come into play: People somehow think that members of certain groups are incapable of insensitivity.
To continue click here -- http://www.kansascity.com/2010/11/01/2380392/why-bias-shows-up-in-surprising.html
Still More Notes
There's big business in battling office bullies:
With his goatee, Darth Vader-sized bald head, and an NFL lineman's build, Gary Namie doesn't look like someone to mess with. And in his case, appearances do not deceive. Namie has carved out a tough niche — he's the guy who bullies the office bullies. Two weeks ago in San Francisco he and his wife, Ruth, were set to give a keynote address at a seminar hosted by a group called California Healthy Workplace Advocates. They were scheduled for a similar event the next day in Sacramento. At $10,000 per appearance, the Namies are becoming the Sarah and Todd Palin of the rapidly expanding office bullying universe — a universe that owes its existence, in large part, to the Namies.
To learn more continue here -- http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/39914851/ns/business-bloomberg_businessweek/
Diversity Management Tip of the Day
'Don't Miss Wednesday Spaghetti'; Managing Diversity Takes Companies To Their Cultural Roots
If the idea of managing diversity has piqued your company's interest, here are several critical questions to consider: What basic assumptions drive your organization − what makes life tick at your place of business? What fundamental understandings do people quickly learn that help them fit in and work in acceptable ways, and how are these assumptions passed on to employees?
The assumptions that drive life in corporations are different from values and traditions, which are usually made clear in some way. Once I applied to work as an intern for a company that celebrated "Spaghetti Wednesdays" in the corporate lunchroom. I was told about the tradition when interviewed for the job and I still believe to this day if a person would have revealed they didn't like spaghetti, they would not have been hired!
Feel Free to pass this Diversity Briefings Newsletter on to your co-workers and others. Thank you for visiting the Diversity Briefings website. Please note that the information located on our site is general and not intended to provide specific legal advice. You should consult with an attorney and not rely on any information contained herein regarding your specific situation.
Finally -- a universitythat understands the need to restructure diversity programming:
The University of Wisconsin's Vice Provost for Diversity and Climate Damon Williams held a press conference Monday to discuss the recent reorganization of campus diversity programs at Thursday's Campus Diversity Forum.
Williams initiated a major reorganization effort within the university's Diversity and Climate division, bringing five campus diversity programs-First Wave, PEOPLE, CeO, POSSE and the Office of Equity and Diversity-under his jurisdiction as vice provost.
"I felt like we would benefit from a greater level connectivity and cohesiveness," Williams said about the reorganization.
According to Williams, restructuring was just a first step.
Just got this email from the Southern Poverty Law Center, SPLC.
Plan now to participate in Mix It Up at Lunch Day, the national event that breaks down social barriers in schools. This year, Mix It Up is on Nov. 9. Teachers will be able to register their schools on the Mix It Up map by mid-September.
Mix It Up Lunch is a great program that's free and simple to organize. Students are simply encouraged to sit at a different table and meet someone new who is different than they are. The event is a simple call to action: take a new seat in the cafeteria. By making the move, students can cross the invisible lines of school division, meet new people and make new friends.
Mix it Up at Lunch Day helps students become more comfortable interacting with different kinds of people.
So,here's an idea. Write a letter of support to your local newspapers and school boards. It could go something like this:
Dear Editor (Or School Board Member):
We have so much work to do if we are every going to become a diverse, multicultural society that works together. Every fall, I hope that our local schools will take the opportunity to help students learn more about each other by participating in Mix It Up Lunch Date. This year’s date is set for November 9.
The event, promoted by the Southern Poverty and Law Center, is a simple call to action: take a new seat in the cafeteria. By making the move, students can cross the invisible lines of school division, meet new people and make new friends.
Mix it Up at Lunch Day helps students become more comfortable interacting with different kinds of people. As a civil rights and diversity supporter, I support this program and hope that others will, too.
What is diversity in the workplace? I've been searching for definitions -- and there are many. Recently I ran into this one from Cornell University and I thought it was quite good. What do you think?
Workplace diversity is a people issue, focused on the differences and similarities that people bring to an organization. It is usually defined broadly to include dimensions beyond those specified legally in equal opportunity and affirmative action non-discrimination statutes. Diversity is often interpreted to include dimensions which influence the identities and perspectives that people bring, such as profession, education, parental status and geographic location.
As a concept, diversity is considered to be inclusive of everyone. In many ways, diversity initiatives complement non-discrimination compliance programs by creating the workplace environment and organizational culture for making differences work. Diversity is about learning from others who are not the same, about dignity and respect for all, and about creating workplace environments and practices that encourage learning from others and capture the advantage of diverse perspectives.
The school's Catherwood Library has prepared a guide introducing key library and online resources in the area of workplace diversity, including practitioner resources, journals, consultant directories, and more.
In Starting Points, you will find a link to the BLS - Bureau of Labor Statistics as well as a comprehensive starting point for disability law. The Databases section links to a GenderStats database. Even if you are not a Cornell student and can't use all of the links, there is still quite a lot of information here that is accessible, so it is a good starting place for doing some research.
