Black Folks Don’t Do “Step” and “Half” the Same as White People; Brody Should Get His Job Back
Tuesday, March 17, 2020
Last Friday, Senior Assistant Pinellas County Attorney Carl Brody was fired, apparently without warning, after 23 years of service that made him the highest-ranking African American on staff with the County Attorney’s office. It appears that Brody’s firing stems from the simple misidentification of the family connection between newly named interim HR director Jack Loring and County Personnel Board member Paul Rogers. The difference between “step son-in-law” and “son-in-law” seems to have cost Brody his job. Here’s a quick recap of what happened and why County policy should change.
On Thursday, March 5th, Paul Rogers, a member of the Pinellas County Personnel Board, voted along with six other Board members to appoint Jack Loring as the County’s interim HR director. Rogers disclosed later that evening, to the County Attorney assigned to the Personnel Board (Carl Brody), that Loring is a family relation by marriage.
The following day, March 6th, Attorney Brody replied to Rogers, advising him to notify the authorities who appointed him so that they could be replaced on the personnel board.
Rogers followed up with his resignation letter on March 9th, which used the term “step son-in-law” to describe Loring. A Tampa Bay Times article later that week also documented the step son-in-law status.
Visit www.theburgvotes.com to read full article.
Categories: History, Art & Culture Organizations