City Fire Department recruits 1st all-white class in 50 years - exam blamed for lack of diversity

Baltimore Sun ^ | April 20, 2004 | Reginald Fields

[Cincinatus' Wife]

For the first time since it integrated 50 years ago, the Baltimore City Fire Department has hired an all-white class of recruits for its training academy.

A group of retired black city firefighters, many of whom became pioneers when they integrated the Fire Department in the 1950s and 1960s, are accusing Chief William J. Goodwin Jr. of stamping on racial progress and violating the tenets of the Civil Rights Act.

"The chief has set this department back 50 years with this group," said retired firefighter Alfred Boyd, referring to the 30 men and women in this year's recruiting class.

A fire official called the class an anomaly, saying the department had followed its normal hiring procedures. But the agency is reacting with a couple of quick fixes - including allowing six blacks to skirt the hiring process and join the academy on a conditional basis, and requesting that the entrance test be changed.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

A cry in the black education wilderness

Despite small reading gains, many may repeat third grade (one in three can't read or add)

[Hardastarboard]

And if the class were all black, there wouldn't be a peep. Let the best man win, and color be damned. If that means we end up with all black accountants and CEO's, and the white guys can't crack the ceiling, if it truly is based on merit, who cares?

[Cincinatus' Wife]

It's all screwed up thanks to LIBERALS and their victimization road map to a socialist paradise.

[DainBramage]

Chief Moose Bump

[Jim Noble]

Diversity is our strength.

War is Peace.

Freedom is Slavery.

Ignorance is Strength.

[RebelBanker]

...allowing six blacks to skirt the hiring process...

And the morons in charge of this wonder why whites get so cynical and tend to leave! What a typical liberal crock of s**t!

An episode of the TV show "Homicide" (which was about and filmed in Baltimore) addressed the issue of "Affirmative Action hires" in the police. Even the liberal black detective eventually has to admit that bringing in unqualified people just for the sake of racial "diversity" was a disaster.

[yawningotter]

I have noticed that when these affirmative action hires reach positions of authority they tend to hire a disproportionate number of blacks. I have worked with black managers who never hired white people, and many of their black hires were obviously not qualified. My sister has it even worse. She worked with one black woman who was not qualified to do even the most basic jobs, but rose to a position of authority because every time she was passed over for promotion she filed a civil rights lawsuit. She in turn hired more unqualified blacks who couldn't and wouldn't do their jobs and harassed the whites. She even ran a shadow administration and would hold meetings whenever the boss was away changing procedures and threatening the employees. It was a federal agency, so that made firing even harder. She was finally fired when someone went to the U. S. Marshalls with a death threat. Even then, she sued and received a large settlement for her troubles. They are still trying to clean out the deadwood brought on by this woman.

[templar]

Let the best man win, and color be damned. If that means we end up with all black accountants and CEO's, and the white guys can't crack the ceiling, if it truly is based on merit, who cares?

That's the way I've always felt. Particularly with things like the Fire department. If I get trapped in a burning building I don' t care what color someone is, or what their politics are. I want the best qualified to be trying to rescue me, not the ones that couldn't pass the tests but were hired anyway.

[af_vet_1981]

And if the class were all black, there wouldn't be a peep. Let the best man win, and color be damned. If that means we end up with all black accountants and CEO's, and the white guys can't crack the ceiling, if it truly is based on merit, who cares?

Yes, otherwise it is racism.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

...Even the liberal black detective eventually has to admit that bringing in unqualified people just for the sake of racial "diversity" was a disaster.

Yes! Because the "it's someone else's fault/" is going to fall on deaf ears.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

What a nightmare.

[monocle]

With your approach just consider how many trial attorneys would be underemployed or unemployed. Unqualifed public employees present an improved route for the overriding goal of wealth transfer.

[Elsie]

Just what was it that brought on the Dark Ages in Europe????

[Modernman]

"My opinion is that the test had an adverse impact on minorities taking it," said retired firefighter Henry Burris. "We have found that the test administered had some built-in biases."

I'm not sure how a test that deals with fire-fighting could have some sort of built-in bias. Seems like fighting fires would be a pretty race-neutral thing.

[Unicorn]

Where's chief Moose when you need him?

[OregonRancher]

I personally want the biggest, baddest, meanest, SOB in the valley to come up that ladder, even if he's pink with yellow polka dots........

[Publius6961]

But the agency is reacting with a couple of quick fixes - including allowing six blacks to skirt the hiring process and join the academy on a conditional basis, and requesting that the entrance test be changed.

This is the real news.
Keep pandering to the pets on the plantation. I hope that "service" or "excellence" are not part of the city's motto.

[Publius6961]

I personally want the biggest, baddest, meanest, SOB in the valley to come up that ladder, even if he's pink with yellow polka dots........

Even if he has a criminal record and uses drugs?
Read the article more carefully.