High Court Rules for White Firefighters in Discrimination Suit

[MrJim]

High Court Rules for White Firefighters in Discrimination Suit
Ruling Reverses High-Profile Decision by Supreme Court Nominee Sonia Sotomayor
By Robert Barnes
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, June 29, 2009 12:07 PM

The Supreme Court today narrowly ruled in favor of white firefighters in New Haven, Conn., who said they were denied promotions because of their race, reversing a decision by Judge Sonia Sotomayor and others that had come to play a large role in the consideration of her nomination for the high court.

The city had thrown out the results of a promotion test because no African Americans and only two Hispanics would have qualified for promotions. It said it feared a lawsuit from minorities under federal laws that said such "disparate impacts" on test results could be used to show discrimination.

Washington Post

 

[Maren]

While it reversed Sotomayor's decision, it is worth noting that Justice Souter (the Judge she is to replace) voted to uphold her decision. In fact, in pretty much all of her cases that have gone before the Supreme Court, Souter has basically agreed with Sotomayor's opinion. So I don't see this as a strike against her in her nomination to the Supreme Court, it merely maintains the current balance on the Supreme Court.

 

[ModCon]

The firefighters were racially descriminated against.
It should not have gone this far, but they decided correctly.

We will never have racial equality, until no bias for race exist.

If the reverse happened, the test would not have been thrown out. Thus the decision was based on the firefighters not being minorities. They competed fairly for open positions, and when not enough minorities passed the test, it was repealed and promised promotions were withheld, again based on race. If they wanted more minorities to pass, they should review the test, and see why minorities seemed to do poorly. Less energetic to acheive promotion? Less skills in reading the question? Written in a way that minorities couldn't understand?
Change the future tests, not hold promotions and give the minorities another chance.

 

[Washington]

Some years ago in Minneapolis the chief of its fire department had long ignored a city directive to hire females. The upshot was that a judge finally had to order him to do so in the next hiring, but after the mental and physical tests results were calculated the highest ranking female came in in the low 300's, so several more qualified males were passed over in favor of these low ranking females. THEN, in rookie school a couple of the physical tests had to be modified in order to insure these females wouldn't wash out. And, as my friend on the department related, it wasn't unusual that the guys would have to help out these women at a fire, which ordinarily they would not have had to do were it a male doing the task.

 

[Billnew]

Some years ago in Minneapolis the chief of its fire department had long ignored a city directive to hire females. The upshot was that a judge finally had to order him to do so in the next hiring, but after the mental and physical tests results were calculated the highest ranking female came in in the low 300's, so several more qualified males were passed over in favor of these low ranking females. THEN, in rookie school a couple of the physical tests had to be modified in order to insure these females wouldn't wash out. And, as my friend on the department related, it wasn't unusual that the guys would have to help out these women at a fire, which ordinarily they would not have had to do were it a male doing the task.

That is wrong, engineered failure is descrimination, but in real life, if a fireman has to help someone not qualified to be on the job, it is weakening the whole team.
Women...some women can pull thier own weight on almost any job(haven't found one that a women couldn't do but I will leave it open just in case.)
But to limit all or push all applicants endangers all personel, because a lesser male would replace the better appropriate female. Don't lessen requirements for women, when to do so endangers people. But don't descriminate against a worthy applicant just by gender.

 

[rambot]

The firefighters were racially descriminated against.
It should not have gone this far, but they decided correctly.

We will never have racial equality, until no bias for race exist.

Given that trying to control subconscious thought is pretty tough at the best of times, it's gonna be a loooooooooong while before tht happens.

 

[TheZach]

I can see the need for female firefighters as some fire departments run rescues and sometimes rescues can get rather personal.

This discrimination has nothing to do with gender however.

 

[lawtonfogle]

I can see the need for female firefighters as some fire departments run rescues and sometimes rescues can get rather personal.

This discrimination has nothing to do with gender however.

'Personal' rescues are a need for professionalism, not females.

 

[Gramaic]

We will never have racial equality, until no bias for race exist.

So far we've come a long way in this country for racial equality, hopefully it continues to improve.

 

[ModCon]

Given that trying to control subconscious thought is pretty tough at the best of times, it's gonna be a loooooooooong while before tht happens.

Even the person has trouble with subconcious. We can only hope for
making everything fair for everyone. Even, no special treatment.

'Personal' rescues are a need for professionalism, not females.

Race, sex or any other descriminators aside, for rescues, you need someone competent. 200lb man injured in a buring building needs someone to help him out, not someone passed because they didn't want to descriminate. If you descriminate for legitimate job reasons, it is expected.

So far we've come a long way in this country for racial equality, hopefully it continues to improve.

I will accept that in the past, giving minorities an advantage to make up for being held back, could have been right. But if the goal is to prevent racism, then we need to make sure all fields are equal. Otherwise we encourage racism, by propping up one race over another.