Posted on 01/06/2023 6:59:51 AM PST by Red Badger
VIDEO AT LINK.............
MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — Kay’Ana Adams wears her tattoos with pride, as she used to wear her Mobile Fire-Rescue uniform with pride, until she was fired over a tattoo on the back of her head.
Adams worked at the Mobile Fire Department Maryvale station on Dauphin Island Parkway for nine months until new ink on the back of her head changed it all.
When she got the head tattoo in June 2022, she believed it followed the fire department’s policy, which then prohibited “tattoos on the face or neck.”
“Hiring people before, during and after me with neck tattoos more prominent than mine was also kind of impactful in that as well,” said Adams. “I figured mine could be done in decency and order. I could also, based off the rules, cover it up.”
But that was not the case.
“Somebody put in a complaint in regard to my tattoo, and the next thing I knew I was being investigated for it, interrogated behind it, and then they made their decision that I was in violation of policy,” said Adams.
Mobile man completes 90 day ‘homeless on purpose’ journey for a good cause The city gave her the option to grow her hair out to hide the tattoo and she did it, according to Adams.
Weeks later, a different complaint was made regarding her hair being grown out and not being in compliance with the City’s policy, according to Adams.
“We have different textures of hair,” said Adams, a Black woman. “So, you have no idea how long it takes for my hair to grow.”
Three months after Adams got her tattoo, the department changed the policy to also prohibit head tattoos, above the neckline.
On Nov. 10, a captain at her station took a photo of the back of Adams’ head. The tattoo was no longer visible. Despite her attempts to comply with the previous and updated tattoo policies, Adams says she was fired the day that photo was taken.
“Definitely blindsided, I never thought it would come to this, especially considering I was in compliance. I’m not necessarily out here trying to be disobedient and I’m not breaking any laws or anything like that, it’s just a tattoo,” said Adams. “What’s behind me shouldn’t affect the work that’s in front of me.”
In a written statement provided to News 5, Public Safety Director Lawrence Battiste wrote “I can confirm a former firefighter was terminated earlier this year (2022) during their working test period for failing to meet MFRD standards.”
The working test period is six months. Adams says hers was extended by an additional six months.
News 5 asked if any other currently serving Mobile firefighters had tattoos that violated department policy. “Yes,” said the Mobile City Spokesperson, explaining that at least one firefighter has a neck tattoo; he was not being terminated for policy violation, but, instead was being allowed to cover the tattoo until its required removal.
Adams believes she was fired, not just because of her head tattoo and her hair, but because she spoke up about things she experienced and observed during her time as a trainee and new firefighter.
“How else would I supposed to feel, you know, especially coming to work every day on time, doing exactly what I was supposed to do, trying to go above and beyond, helping out where I can, what else, what I could assume,” said Adams.
Adams says she filed one grievance about the tattoo complaint against her.
Adams says she also observed and then filed two complaints, each describing multiple instances of what she says was harassment and antagonization, including what she describes sexist statements by two male firefighters at her station. She alleges one male firefighter repeatedly made disparaging remarks about “feminism and women’s rights.”
“Statements in regard to, you know, I don’t want to work with women,” said Adams. “It just, it definitely impacts you.”
Her termination for the tattoo came just days before Adams expected to get a response on the grievance she filed in response to the complaint about her hair.
Though she did not file a formal complaint, Adams says she also witnessed and “spoke up about” what she called a disturbing incident at the training academy.
“It was rope week and a decent amount of people and the other half of the classroom were discussing, trying to tie nooses.” said Adams. “And, you know, instinctively, I guess I just kind of stood up and said, ‘you know, if you want to learn how to do that, I think that it’s best you do that on your free time’.”
Adams says she confided in two fire captains at her station, Captain Jason Craig and Captain Rodrick Shoots, about her concerns.
Adams, Shoots, and Craig are members of the Black Progressive Firefighters Association.
“Without them, I don’t know how bad it could’ve been. You know I’ve had people yelling at me in my face, and me as a woman and these being men,” said Adams. “I just, I don’t know what would’ve happened if they weren’t there for me. So, it is good that I had people in my corner, willing to stand up for me and you know, have my best interests at heart.”
Man arrested, charged in Paparazzi Club shooting, Walmart shooting and armed home invasion: Mobile Police Adams says Captain Shoots and Captain Craig were both disciplined after they spoke up to defend her on several occasions during the process of dealing with the complaints against her about the tattoo on her head. Captain Jason Craig was suspended. Captain Rodrick Shoots was fired.
In a written statement, Public Safety Director Lawrence Battiste said Shoots was terminated for “attempting to obstruct a valid order from a superior officer, ignoring orders and using disrespectful and defiant language to a superior officer.” And, Craig was suspended for 30 days for “insubordination, failure to follow orders from a superior officer and failure to investigate, document and report a violation of MFRD policy.”
Captain Shoots will appeal his termination during a hearing scheduled for January 17, 2023.
Captain Craig will appeal his suspension during a hearing scheduled for January 19, 2023.
Adams has filed an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission complaint against the department.
Through a spokesperson, Mobile Fire Chief Jeremy Lami and Mayor Sandy Stimpson refused requests for on-camera interviews about the disciplinary actions taken against the three firefighters, saying these are personnel matters subject to litigation.
That was my Dad’s tattoo, on his arm.
The neck bone’s connected to the bone head.
Getting a tattoo is a personal choice. Getting a tattoo when you’re part of an organization that has to disallow personal choices in order to create a functioning organization, ergo: uniform organization- creates a problem.
Hair, clothing, all of it needs to be part of making the organization stronger.
Expressing yourself is fine. Go do it.
But functioning organizations need compliance and subordination to the unit, not to the person. Maybe this will be the first step to stop pretending that we are all an army of ‘one’ and get back to being committed to a higher purpose: the elimination of self, and the promotion of cohesive, competent public service.
She was fired for being a disruptive presence in the firehouse. Even took down two captains. I wouldn’t want to work with her.
😜..................
No. Read the article: she's disruptive and not a team player.
When I turned 16 or so, Dad passed that piece of advice on to me, which he said he got from his Chief when he joined the Navy. I thought about it ... and realized he was right ... except that Mom didn't particularly like tattoos ... so I never got one.
Dad fought At Guadalcanal and Bougainville and various other spots across the pacific and that marine didn’t have one tattoo. Neither do I.
Damn woman, just get yourself a blond wig and no one will notice.
Fired during her probationary period? That process worked as it was designed, to weed out those who are a poor fit for the work ahead of them. Why cry about it?
I figure she was a lousy cadet at the fire academy but they couldn’t find any reason to weed her out there. Once employed, her station was looking to give her the heave-ho (pun intended)for some reason. Her poor judgement in getting that hideous tattoo was the perfect excuse but not the only reason I bet. Easier for her to complain racism as the reason when she likely couldn’t handle the demands of the job or the mostly good-natured abuse new firefighters are subject to. Good riddance and a win for the people of Mobile.
Mrs AV
Neither do I, but lots of guys I served with did. For me it’s a religious prohibition, but to them it was some kind of macho enhancement............
Stupid for her to do this during her probation period. Somebody wanted her gone. But also, she was in clear violation of the FD rules.
...and, she’s outta there.
BUT...she’ll sue for racism, get her job back with backpay, maybe even get a bumper check...and be promoted to Captain. She’ll be untouchable for the rest of her career.
Sign of the degeneracy and demonstrable genetic devolution of America.
Just asking.
Indeed - mostly neck.
The person shows poor judgement and little respect for authority and regulations in a career field where that might be the difference in life and death for themselves and their colleagues.
Good call to terminate.
As far as I know, no law requires an employer to hire a person with tattoos, piercings, or other body mutilations.
Some kind of fifth shakra thing, or the hole her brain fell out of.
“Most scholars agree that the four prohibitions in verses 27-28 all “deal with mourning rites.”3 The hair-cutting of verse 27 is probably associated with the skin-cutting in verse 28, and both were related to specific pagan rituals having to do with the dead. The description of the cuts made on the body “for the dead” in verse 28 offers explicit support for this interpretation.”
https://bib.irr.org/does-leviticus-1927-prohibit-haircuts
I was not allowed to hire anyone with a GPA lower than 3.6....that usually did the trick.
She was a new firefighter in her probationary period when she got the tattoo.. They extended her probation because of the tattoo, but eventually decided to terminate her, which they could have easily done before. Apparently, she was also involved with some incident at fire academy, as a result of which some other firemen were terminated. Trouble just seems to follow her around for some reason. 🤷🏾♀️
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