Posted on 08/12/2021 5:18:39 AM PDT by billorites
After holding her position for over three decades, the Principal Flute of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO), Emily Skala, was fired following a second instance of spreading misinformation related to COVID-19 on social media.
The dismissal follows a string of incidents, some related to Skala's conduct on social media and others to her general conduct in and around the orchestra. The BSO has only specified the social media posts as the reason for the dismissal, as Skala shared a range of posts that questioned the efficacy of vaccines and face masks.
Skala had also refused to comply with some of the BSO's pandemic safety precautions. In an incident on July 23, Skala refused to wear a mask and would not provide evidence of having taken a COVID-19 test. Both of these precautions were required by the orchestra's policy.
In a piece published by the Baltimore Sun, Skala claimed that the social media posts derived from peer-reviewed studies that “weren’t chosen to be presented on our mainstream channels,” Skala wrote.
Skala's colleagues have publicly criticized her attitudes. In 2020, singer Melissa Wimbish, who previously worked with the BSO, publicly leaked an email sent by Skala to BSO players following an online meeting. In the email, Skala criticized the orchestra's public support for the Black Lives Matter movement for being "too political." In addition, she shared posts questioning the legitimacy of the 2020 presidential election.
In February of 2021, the BSO tweeted "Ms. Skala does not speak for the BSO, nor do her statements reflect our core values or code of conduct grounded in humanity and respect.
Skala told the Associated Press that the orchestra had "violated her constitutional rights," including free speech. She is pursuing legal action and is also planning to file a complaint through the orchestra's union, the Musicians’ Association of Metropolitan Baltimore.
"Ms Skala has had discipline imposed upon her over these past few months for violating several policies," said the BSO in a statement. "Unfortunately, she has repeated the conduct for which she had been previously disciplined, and dismissal was the necessary and appropriate reaction to this behavior."
Those spit valves are disgusting.
Too conservative for the Baltimore Symphony, which will likely continue to languish as the 3rd rate orchestra it has always been.
What she says on her own time is of no business to the BSO. What she does in complying with company regulations on the orchestra’s time is.
As a musicologist and observer of the classical music scene, I would think that suspension would be the appropriate discipline before termination, but even with classical music orchestras, the issue is never the issue, the issue is always the revolution, and right now COVID practice is the tool of the revolution.
We complain about FB and YT canceling people at the government’s behest, but those companies which follow along and actually fire the people are equally (if not more) following the government’s behest.
I’m glad she’s fighting back.
Classical music is dead anyway, the orchestras no longer have the stomach to rehash all that White guy material they always play, so they might as well play Pops.
Well, they got her, finally
She likely was a pain in the ass for thirty years
This “spreading of misinformation” is not part of the America I grew up in.
Freedom of thought, is.
Our “press” sounds like a bad knock-off of Communist China, which probably owns them, so I guess it makes sense.
um...yeah
Today’s society demands uniformity of thought, dictated from governing authorities. If the same authorities reverse their position overnight, you must also reverse your thinking too, but you are never to mention the policy change.
In the book ‘1984’ Winston Smith early in the book mentions he’s not sure of the actual year, as the Party controls all information, but thinks it is 1984. Turns out it’s 2021.
C'mon man! Give them their due; they're a 2nd rate orchestra. no Cristof Eschenbach for them. (/s)
Now, you want a 3rd rate orchestra, look to the haughtily-named Imperial Symphony Orchestra in Lakeland, FL. I used to take my students to their concerts back in the day, and it was always a good first experience for those who had avoided orchestral music for the first 20 years of their life, but if you want quality, you gotta go where the quality is.
She did not follow policy regarding wearing a mask or doing a test. Not surprised she was fired. The same thing happens at my workplace.
No kidding. Here’s another example. This week the genius lesbian mayor of Seattle said that if by sometime in mid October (I forgot the exact date she gave), any Seattle Police Officer who has not had the jab will be fired.
Oh, here’s another example that goes hand in hand. Seattle Police have been operating under a Federal Consent Decree since the Barry and big Mike Obama administration. One of the provisions the Feds enacted was a civilian oversight board.
The civilian oversight board has decided that in order to remain a Seattle LEO, you must allow the board access to all of your PERSONAL social media accounts. Failure to comply…FIRED.
This is in keeping with the new leftist/media paradigm: Antifa actions/violence is "speech" but your speech is conduct/violence.
You forgot the “/s”
I bet your Mama said the same thing about you.
“Misinformation” = telling the truth.
I had a run in in AZ with a some concert symphony players.
They really think they are gods and that everyone needs to bow to their will.
I walked out and told them I hope they enjoy being poor as that is their future.
Hebrews 12:4
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