Chicago Ordered to Hire 111 Black Firefighters

Chicago Ordered to Hire 111 Black Firefighters

www.nytimes.com

Chicago must hire 111 black firefighter applicants who were passed over for jobs years ago and pay tens of millions of dollars in damages to about 6,000 other black candidates

In 1995, 26,000 people took an employment test to become firefighters.

The city said anyone who had scored above 65 was considered “qualified,” but chose its initial hires from random sets among candidates who scored 89 or better, a group it deemed “highly qualified,”

estimated that cost to be $30 million.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Ok wait...

But after complaints were filed, the city conceded that the 89-point cutoff created a “disparate impact” against black candidates — 6,000 of whom had gotten qualified scores — compared with white candidates, the documents show.

Wait... unless I am understanding this wrong...
This $30M+ cost is not because of skin color but because of scores which "translates" into skin color?

Right Here!!!
Right here they are saying that black people are not as intelligent as white people, how are they not saying that?

Someone tell me that I am misunderstanding this article
I'm almost positive that I am, but I re-read it a few times though

This will only balkanize white and black people in Chicago and probably alot of people at the fire station will think that these new hires only got hired because of the worst, most stupidest and most expensive form of affirmative action-extremism in a long time.

Every so often I really feel like they are trying to stir a race war in the United States and that's why I posted this in BAN.

$30M this is going to cost

Mr. Karsh said he expected that the amount would be larger.

The costs come at a difficult time for the city, where some people are predicting a budget shortfall in the hundreds of millions of dollars next year.

Unbelievable

www.nytimes.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

reply to post by ModernAcademia


This kinda stuff isn't new. It was originally called "racial quotas" then, after that was deemed inappropriate, "affirmative action".

It's complete bunk. They'll pull in less qualified individuals to make sure minorities and/or women get jobs over white males.

Only in this godawful country is being white and smart a huge disadvantage. No wonder I can never find a job.

Whatever happened to people wanting to be Judged by the Content of their Character, and not by the color of their skin. Has this idea been lost in time? When my house is burning I want the best of the best there to rescue me, I don't care what color their skin is. It could be green for all i care as long as they do their job.

Originally posted by HenryPatrick
Only in this godawful country is being white and smart a huge disadvantage. No wonder I can never find a job.

Is that you in your AV?
Because.........

Originally posted by ModernAcademia

Chicago Ordered to Hire 111 Black Firefighters

www.nytimes.com

Chicago must hire 111 black firefighter applicants who were passed over for jobs years ago and pay tens of millions of dollars in damages to about 6,000 other black candidates

In 1995, 26,000 people took an employment test to become firefighters.

The city said anyone who had scored above 65 was considered “qualified,” but chose its initial hires from random sets among candidates who scored 89 or better, a group it deemed “highly qualified,”

estimated that cost to be $30 million.

(visit the link for the full news article)

It doesn't matter what colour they are. Affirmative action in jobs were peoples lives are on the line is BS. Is this really going to make the 111 people that HAVE to be hired now feel great about their job!? How about the people they work with knowing that the only reason they have a new hire is not because he/she is the best of the best, but, is the best of a certain skin colour? I can see this having a negative impact on the people as well as the other firefighters. I can't believe we are still doing garbage like this in this day and age!

if you're an employer, do you want the "c" student or the "a" student to work for you? i think the jobs should be given to the most qualified candidates, regardless of race (however, race could be a factor in scoring, i've seen it happen before. if that is the case, then those who manipulated the scores should be fired). would nasa take a scientist who scored lower than person "b" just because person "a" has a different skin color?

i'm assuming this test was more than a written test. more like an evaluation of firefighting skills? i don't care what color skin you have, but if my house was on fire, i'd want the best coming.

It's not only what alot you are mentioning
$30Mil+ to individuals that scored qualifiable scores versus higher
This is the people's money is it not?
During insane inflation and super high gas prices????
Really??????

Right in Obama town too, maybe he should make a comment about it being immoral to take money from people for such a stupid reason
Chicago loses!!

What about white males who scored only qualifiable scores, will they get something too?

Originally posted by ModernAcademia

Is that you in your AV?
Because.........

edit on 14-5-2011 by ModernAcademia because: (no reason given)

Lol unless Frank Zappa made an ATS account, I don't think it's him.


As to this story, it's absolutely ridiculous, and I believe I've heard a very similar story here on ATS just a few years back. I'll try and find it.

So choosing firefighters with higher scores created a "disparate impact" against black-skinned applicants?

Didn't the black applicants create the "disparate impact" when they failed to do as well on the test as the white applicants?

What the hell is happening to this country? Now we will have less-qualified firefighters in Chicago, all because of our warped and twisted view of "equality".



EDIT: It seems the old story I was recalling is this exact same story, this has been going on for years now. How many of these candidates that were refused are actually looking for work? I imagine most of them should have been at least able to find another job by now, this test was administered 15 freaking years ago.

Gregory Boggs, president of the African-American Firefighters and Paramedics League of Chicago, said that Friday’s decision was a victory, but that black firefighters still made up about only 18 percent of the force.

Black people only make up 12% of the population! Am I taking crazy pills again? Does he not realize that there is already a larger ratio of blacks to whites in the fire department than there are in the country?

This race bull# has to end. We are losing everything that we fought for in the civil rights movement.

this is my problem with government telling people how to be better people.

it has never been the responsiblity to legislate success among many other things.

they were passed over for a reason an it has nothing to do with skin color.

what has built this country success well it use to was people going above and beyond their status, their genders, and their race.

success comes from the individuals own self and determination to better themselves where ever they can and success is never easy for if it was everyone would be successful.

to me the problems in this country as the direct result of interference of darwinism where only the strong surive and now the weak get rewarded for being exceptionally mondaine.


chicago has no right to do this noone has and that decision has the potential to get those firefighters killed and potential victims killed


anyhow thats my take

reply to post by ModernAcademia


This has been going on for decades. There are also initiatives where they are looking to eliminate the need to disqualify folks for jobs because of a criminal record because there are disportionate numbers of minorities. They are also looking to deal with the issue of illiteracy for the same reasons.

www.nelp.org...

Troubling, but certainly not a trend.

I don't agree with affirmative action, but it's definitely needed.
So many closet racist in the world, that they would stop people of color from being successful because they're that hateful.

Originally posted by dolphinfan
This has been going on for decades.

$30M cases like this has been going on for decades?

It has been happening here and there for a long time, after a long time it's probably over $30M of accumulated dollars over decades

But this is one massive lump sum for having mediocre grades
I'm sure it's one of the worst ones in history, I may be wrong though

Here's hoping incompetence levels don't rise because of this. They haven't enforced anything positive here apart from hiring firefighters who couldn't make the grade, regardless of skin colour.

So theoretically, they may have given positions to underqualified applicants who scored less than gradefailing white applicants, but it seems that equality acts like this don't give a toss about the white guys.

Really, if you're right for the job, skin colour shouldn't be an issue. I'd actually feel pretty patronised if I was one of these newly hired firefighters.

Originally posted by dolphinfan

There are also initiatives where they are looking to eliminate the need to disqualify folks for jobs because of a criminal record because there are disportionate numbers of minorities. They are also looking to deal with the issue of illiteracy for the same reasons.

It's disgusting.

I support racial equality. That means equal treatment regardless of skin color.

That means if you commit a crime, or can't read, or are not qualified for a job, then it doesn't matter how much of a tan you have, you can't do the job.

This is getting so ridiculous, on the one hand we have done everything we can to eliminate racial prejudice, and then 20 years later special interests groups are doing everything they can to bring it back full-force.


The really sad part is, in society's eyes we are the racists.

Why does it have to be 111?

Strange number to choose out of all possible numbers. Hmmmm...

But after complaints were filed, the city conceded that the 89-point cutoff created a “disparate impact” against black candidates — 6,000 of whom had gotten qualified scores

This ony does a disservice to the african american community and possibly other communities. Really, people need to get off their BS. If you don't meet the standards required, you don't get the job. Simple. Skin colour does not have anything to do with it. People are just lazy or making excuses for failing. It's unacceptable.

reply to post by ModernAcademia


All these are planetary games, dont get involved be an observer

Originally posted by Southern Guardian
This ony does a disservice to the african american community and possibly other communities. Really, people need to get off their BS. If you don't meet the standards required, you don't get the job. Simple. Skin colour does not have anything to do with it. People are just lazy or making excuses for failing. It's unacceptable.

The last thing I expected to happen upon my return to ATS after an extended hiatus was to agree with you in one of the first few threads I opened up, but I agree with the above completely.

________

Back to the OP, I can't believe they're still on about this. If I fail a hiring exam or pass but still score lower than many other people, I don't expect to be given a job anyway based on my physical appearance and I find it rather disgusting that these 111 people did just that. Had they scored over 89 like the initial hires did and still been passed over, I'd understand their point but they didn't. That the city should be forced to hire someone for as important a job as this one based on their appearance simply because those people ran off and whined that they didn't get hired is ridiculous.

This isn't equality. This is forced racial quotas and I don't understand how anyone could possibly be ok with getting hired based solely on their skin color.