Posted on 02/02/2006 3:24:32 AM PST by Panerai
A rookie MBTA commuter rail conductor who allegedly harassed women and girls on the Rockport line with X-rated wisecracks and saucy talk is facing discipline after one fed-up mom dropped a dime.
“I was totally disgusted,” said Jennifer Barrett, 24, of Gloucester. “This guy should not be working with the public.”
The trouble started in December, Barrett said, when new conductor Junior Rodriguez remarked that her 7-year-old daughter, Tiarra, had a “ghetto booty,” slang for a large behind.
“I’m like, ‘Excuse me?’ ” recalled Barrett, who said she also overheard the conductor making inappropriate comments to two young women on another day.
One time, Barrett said, she sat up after reaching down to pick up her 2-year-old daughter’s pacifier only to find the allegedly randy railroad man leering at her.
“He said, ‘Oh, yeah, show me more of that.’ Then I realized he was looking down my shirt,” she said.
Rodriguez, 31, was hired in April 2005 by MBCR, the contractor that runs the T commuter rail service. He was yanked off the rails pending an investigation the day after Barrett complained, T spokesman Joe Pesaturo said.
Efforts to reach Rodriguez at home and through his union yesterday were unsuccessful.
An internal disciplinary hearing in which Rodriguez was accused of violating the MBTA code of personal conduct was held Jan. 27, Pesaturo said. The hearing officer has until the end of the week to decide the case.
“The general manager of the T has spoken with the general manager of MBCR, Paul Lundberg. Both are very concerned about the allegations,” Pesaturo said.
Roger Lenfest, a United Transportation Union Local 898 official who represented Rodriguez at the disciplinary hearing, said he couldn’t comment on the allegations while the hearing officer’s decision is pending.
Barrett said she’s relieved she can ride in peace. “With all the young girls that travel, too, that was my biggest concern,” she said.
Loose standards?
What are you talking about?
==============================================
You are absolutely right, Sangrila (here for a whole week) revealed more personal ugliness in one post than should be seen ever.
I notice you ignored the rest of my post. The part where I said what would happen if it were a real threat........
I have two daughters.
I really don't think this is a case of some weird guy leering at a little girl, licking his chops and commenting about how much he likes her booty.
I think it is a case of one of those types who is always talking and making fun of everything he sees and says it without really thinking about it trying be funny. And the whole thing is distorted out of context in a short newspaper article.
But, maybe you know more about the case than was posted in the article.
You make my point suprbly.
Oops. Superbly. :)
I know that I'm a mom with a daughter (sans ghetto booty) who would give that person a piece of my mind, so much so, that he would wish I never stepped on that train. And yes, I would report him. I don't have the accept the unacceptable. My son and I were eating at a fast food restaraunt last weekend. These teenagers (black) were being loud and vulgar. There were all types of people in the restaraunt (white, black, senior citizen, children). I walked over and said "Do you see these ladies and children in here? You should not be loud and vulgar." The boy apologized and they behaved himselves (at least until we left) I hate it when people are rude.
"People just need to loosen up.
"
I see. So, if you had a 7-year-old daughter, and I said she had a nice butt, you'd think that was OK, huh? I don't think so.
Comments like that end up causing missing teeth if said to the wrong person.
I think, perhaps, you need to rethink.
And there you have it.
If you dislike his words, you have the right to get in his face and give him a piece of your mind. Give him a few of your words. Deal with it. That's how these situations are resolved.
He didn't say she had a nice butt.
It looks from the article like he was trying to be funny, and failed.
The boys didn't work at the restaraunt, they were patrons. This conductor was acting in an official capacity. So at that point , I'd take it a step further and drop a dime on him to his immediate supervisor. THEN the situation is resolved.
Junior Rodriguez???
Hmmmmm.... I wonder if the "J" is actually pronounced like a "J"... or maybe like an "H"...
I guess it doesn't matter... we'll just call him "Bubba" instead...
I agee with you that morals and standards in society have fallen precipitously in the last generation or so. I deplore the MTV-ing of our culture as much as anyone.
But, given the context of the cultural reference point in which this guy lives, I am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.
My comment that people should just "loosen up" was aimed at a society in which every offense, real or perceived, is met with screeching to some authority figure to make it all better or results in a lawsuit.
A few words mispoken by some train conductor is really no threat to anyone.
There's no mention of a lawsuit. The woman did the right thing. You say he was trying to be funny. Where's the proof in that? Is it in his job description to be a stand up comic ?
It, ummm, it.... emenates from the penumbra of the article. Mmmkay?? :)
I'm over come with curiousity. What did you do?
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