Woman fired from Black Educators Association, was ‘not really black enough’

Looks like racism is alive and well north of the border. This is a sad commentary of where some peoples minds and ideologies really lay. I'm glad to see the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission could at least see this for what it was, racial discrimination. While awarded an $11,000 judgement that seems small consolation to me.

Woman fired from Black Educators Association because she was ‘not really black enough’

HALIFAX, Nova Scotia – A biracial woman has won her case against her former employer – the Black Educators Association – after human rights officials deemed she had been bullied by co-workers for being “not really black enough” to do her job.

Rachel Brothers was hired by the Black Educators Association in 2006 and almost immediately came under fire from subordinate Catherine Collier who, according to the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission, made it clear she thought Brothers was too young and too light-skinned to represent the race-based organization to the community.

Donald Murray, chairman of the Board of Inquiry at the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission, determined that staff members who didn’t join in Collier’s bullying made excuses for the behavior or simply shrugged it off.

So let's get this straight, Ms Brothers was "too young" and had the "wrong skin color." When demonized for this by another staff member and eventually fired because of it the rest of them turned a blind eye or accepted it. That is seriously messed up.

Murray said that Brothers was fired from her job because of work decisions the BEA made in which skin color was paramount and 'the problems that her skin color had created in her office for another employee.' The board also ruled that acting executive director of the BEA was aware of 'colorist and ageist comments being made' and did nothing to stop them.
Link..

This is just a sorry disgrace. I really hope some day people will be able to actually get along and forget about something as ridiculous as skin color. Not holding my breath but still I hope.

For as much hate as Al Sharpton receives you sure are trying to emulate him.

Are you trying to become the white Al Sharpton?

a reply to: muse7

Not sure what you mean by emulating him. I'm just commenting on what I see as racism carried to it's most ridiculous level.

Maybe some of these people should go to Home Depot to get those paint color swatches so they can test each other for their level of acceptability.

Edit - Care to comment on the actual story?

a reply to: Bassago

Dear Bassago,

I'm also surprised at the amount of the award. The woman lost her job and gets $11,000? If it had been America where a woman had been fired for clearly racist reasons, I can see a quarter of a million with little trouble.

But in another way, it does remind me of the US. Members of Black groups are insulted if they happen to be conservative. Conservative women get trashed. It seems like race, sex, and gender, are only important as ways to pressure people into reacting the "preferred" way.

With respect,
Charles1952

a reply to: Bassago

It's nice to know that reverse racism isn't only in the United States.

DBL post

Funny how this woman wasn't black enough to teach, but Obama was black enough to run the country...

Wow thats was eh.....raceist of them.

You would think the black community would know and want better.

Tolerance is a two way street, sounds like many at this organization forgot to look both ways.

Unjustified and unfair. Tired of racism no matter who's saying it.

She should use the 11 grand to put some gold spinner rims on her car. That would show 'em.

a reply to: charles1952

Yeah $11K doesn't seem like much of a win considering the loss of a job as well as just the personal pain this must have caused. Still on the other hand I wouldn't wish the US legal system on any other country either.

At least she ended up with the higher moral ground.

originally posted by: muse7
For as much hate as Al Sharpton receives you sure are trying to emulate him.



Are you trying to become the white Al Sharpton?

Are you attacking the OP to surpress the information he has brought forth? Really....

Do you agree that this action was wrong?
Is racism only acceptable to you if expressed by the 'correct' people?

That's very progressive and liberal of you (not).

originally posted by: jheated5
Funny how this woman wasn't black enough to teach, but Obama was black enough to run the country...

If Obama was on the other side of the aisle when he ran for President, it is almost assured we would have heard derogatory comments about his mixed heritage, and he definitely would not have been called the first 'black' president.

Only Democrats can claim 'blackness'...conservatives of a darker color are routinely disparaged.

Racism is alive and well in the U.S. of A.

a reply to: Bassago

It's this kind of BS as well as govt supported racism that keeps the whole thing alive.

Until 2 men are equal, get equal opportunities, treated equally by the law... there will never be an end to racism.

As long as institutionalized racism exists, promoted and exploited by all 3 branches of govt there will always be racism.

a reply to: lakesidepark

Didn't you know? If you are black, you cannot be racist by definition.

Not sure who decided that, but I certainly didn't. It's a BS concept.

a reply to: Bassago

Rachel Brothers was hired by the Black Educators Association in 2006 and almost immediately came under fire from subordinate Catherine Collier who, according to the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission, made it clear she thought Brothers was too young and too light-skinned to represent the race-based organization to the community.

Ignorance does not discriminate.

As a multiracial woman that most people can't tell just by looking at my that I have an African American parent I will attest that how you perceive yourself seems to matter less in this world than how you are perceived.

I agree its sad. I however find it amusing to say I'm albino or some other silly comment when I'm asked what I am. My favorite response is that I'm a woman.

I sincerely hope this woman realizes that now she has even more experience dealing with racism and can get a better job with this qualification.

ETA : I'm also extremely happy the full name of the racist is being made public, because clearly she may not be able to do her job properly.

wow, i didn't know they had all black only clubs in canada too.

i wonder how a whites only club would decide something like what they did to her?

a reply to: tsingtao

I would have thought we were past clubs for all blacks only and all whites only pretty much anywhere in the world.

I do see some clubs preferably for women only as in the sewing and knitting type where I would feel uncomfortable and bored when they discussed their internal working, ailments, gossip about so-and-so and failed recipes. Funnily enough I cannot think of any area where women have not penetrated when it comes to men's clubs.

Do we want to stop discrimination or not?
Official clubs accepting only a specific race or gender shouldn't even be legal in 2014 IMO.

If members between them decide one is not worthy to join, well that's their decision but it shouldn't be displayed officially.