Black Custodian Guy Jones Passed Over for Promotion, Given to White Custodian, Files Grievance

Black high school custodian, Guy Jones, files grievance after being passed over for a promotion, given to white custodian, who had been on the job for shorter period.

Guy Jones, a black custodian, filed a grievance because he had more seniority and was passed over for a promotion in favor of a white custodian, who had been on the job in Brockton, Mass., for far less time, according to Ward 5 School Committee member Bill Carpenter. Jones was eventually placed in the job, as a senior daytime custodian at the high school, after the white custodian had held the job for three months. According to the Enterprise News, the incident was revealed as school officials prepared to meet with a key group Thursday night to discuss ways of making the School Department’s teaching staff more diverse.

“At a time when members of the community are questioning the diversity of the staff at the Brockton public schools, it’s a concern that an individual of African-American heritage apparently was passed over for an important promotion in violation of the union contract,” Carpenter said. The custodian union contract states: “Seniority shall prevail in all openings for positions among senior building custodians.”

Carpenter said he does not know who initially made the appointment of the white custodian, and Carpenter did not name the white custodian. But he said the responsibility for appointments ultimately lies with School Superintendent Matthew Malone, who could not be reached for comment Thursday. Jones on Thursday confirmed that he filed the grievance. He declined to comment on the circumstances.

Carpenter said that while the School Committee typically does not get involved with personnel matters, “failure to comply with a collective bargaining agreement does become a School Committee matter, as these union contracts are negotiated directly between the School Committee and our unions.”“I don’t understand why it took three months and a grievance to finally rectify the situation,” Carpenter said. “It is very troubling to me, and I have expressed my concerns to the superintendent.” Source: Enterprise News

There has always been discrimination on the job for as far back as I can remember. The key is for the aggrieved to take a stand and not accept being deliberately passed over for no justifiable reason. That goes for all ethnic backgrounds. It should be noted, according to the Brockton Interfaith Community, more than 70 percent of students in Brockton public schools are African-American, Hispanic or belong to another minority race, but only 12 percent of the more than 1,000 teachers in the district are minorities.