Court Rules For Firefighters In New Haven Case
The Supreme Court has reversed the Second Circuit's ruling in Ricci v. DeStefano by 5-4, "on ideological lines." The case, in which a white firefighter claimed discrimination after being denied a promotion, will be at the center of Judge Sonia Sotomayor's confirmation hearings for the Supreme Court. The full decision is here.
This will surely cheer white people everywhere, struggling under decades of discrimination.
Maybe this will save the Republican Party.
Damn, is this what happens when you elect a black president?
As a white male, I feel my rights to lord my luck over everyone else has been reaffirmed. Thanks judge dudes.
Now where is that bowl I prepped this morning?
Yes, but wasn’t the issue here the disposal of tests those firefighters took– and passed– for promotions then not awarded?
The argument about standardized testing is as old as we all are. What group hasn’t found a reason to take issue with test matter, if not the method? Still, comments here lead me to believe that many– some even bragged!– aced the SATS, etc. How many of us refused to submit those scores we had worked for, based on this, and esp. as everyone knows girls don’t get called on in math class? And how many of us would have applauded the College Board for tossing away those scores as we were in the midst of applying to colleges?
The administration I voted for espoused a sort of fairness, based on our obvious equality as humans, I thought, which would vanquish race-based decisions– the good and the bad ones, for aren’t they two sides of the same coin? But without some sort of objective standard of measurement of..of.. things, at least as far as employment/salaries/advancement, how will this be realized? And was the right answer in this case throwing away the bar altogether, rather than helping everyone to reach it?
/ ill-qualified to comment on the difficult subject of race.
Fire departments are the last bastion of male white privilege. Recall a year or so ago when the NYFD wanted to build a new firehouse in the Rockaways that would house both firefighters and EMTs. The firefighters' union tried to kill that proposal but wouldn't offer any rationale for doing so other than vague 'cultural' differences between the two services (EMTs being much more diverse). Disgusting. That's the reality that informed the 2nd Circuit's decision, I would guess.