By Antonio D. French
Filed Thursday, October 11, 2007 at 10:54 AM
Former fire chief Sherman George made it clear today that the circumstances surrounding his refusal to make promotions and his subsequent demotion by Mayor Francis Slay and his public safety director Charles Bryson was, for him, always about ensuring the best and most qualified people were elevated in the department.
It was the mayor's office, said George, which constantly tried to link his position to the racial bias lawsuit filed by a group of Black firefighters.
That — and Slay's repeated undermining and micromanaging — was what led to the showdown that ended with George's removal, said the former chief. George and his attorney say all this has created an environment designed to force George to quit. "Constructive termination," George called it, and he's filing complaints with the Civil Service Commission, the City Diversity Director, the Missouri Human Rights Commission, and the U.S. Equal Opportunities Commission because of it.
Watch the full press conference...
"I consider myself retired from the fire department as a result of the constructive termination while I seek reinstatement. I am informing the City of that today. But I am not retiring from the fire service to run for public office. I am not interested in running for mayor of the City of St. Louis, but neither should Francis Slay," said George.
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34 Comments:
Deputy Chief George I now have lost all respect for you.
You had a chance to stay above the fray but you have now stooped to the level of FIRE.
This is a sad day.
10/11/2007 11:12 AM
and he didn't even take questions from the media.....what a wimp!
go hide behind your lawyer sherman
at least slay has the balls to take the hard questions
10/11/2007 11:14 AM
I call bullshit.
10/11/2007 11:21 AM
I guys they have Internet connections in the fire house.
10/11/2007 11:25 AM
Thanks for wasting our tax dollars on a court case Sherm.
I ain't a fire fighter and I'm sick of Sherm.
10/11/2007 11:27 AM
at least he is retiring so we dont have to hear about this bs anymore
10/11/2007 11:30 AM
So much for Sherman being a man of principle! He retired so he could take the money and run!
10/11/2007 11:30 AM
why any racist white person would live in any other city accept St. Louis is beyond me.
this place is racists' Shangri-La
10/11/2007 11:35 AM
what about a black racist?
10/11/2007 11:54 AM
If Sherman would of made the promotions he would still be the Fire Chief today. He has no one to blame except himself.
10/11/2007 11:58 AM
After this garbage I am now happy he is gone.
I never thought of Sherman as a bigot or an opportunist until today.
Signed,
A former fan of sherman
10/11/2007 12:08 PM
Could someone please complete the sentence "Sherman George believes he was fired because he _______."?
It doesn't matter if George believed FIRE's argument or not. He was not promoting off of a test that was found to be relevant and non-biased by a court of law. The fact that you share the opinion with FIRE is unfortunate, but also irrelevant.
10/11/2007 12:36 PM
Sherman should have made his stand a couple of weeks ago, when it mattered a little bit more to the issue at hand if he cares about ensuring that the most qualified firemen are promoted regardless of race.
But what I want to know is: Why hadn't anyone proposed an alternative method for assessing qualified firefighters for promotion? The suit against the tests as racially biased was dismissed a few years ago, but since then, has any other method been put forth?
All this racial accusation is a zero sum game, really. There will be no winners. But I hope for resolution.
10/11/2007 12:37 PM
Sherman George is a heroic man and leader that will receive monetary compensation thru the courts for the injustice and discrimination inflicted on him by that damn Slay and his "boy" Bryson! That interim chief was disciplined by Mr. George and is under two investigations for wrongdoing!It is obvious that these anti George postings are coming from racist Local 73 members!
10/11/2007 1:08 PM
The smart one that we forget about is
Sam Simon ,the former public safety director...he had enough respect and honor to get out, without having to stoop to the filthy level of st louis politics! Hats off to you Sam...
10/11/2007 1:39 PM
Once again St louis proves to be small town....
10/11/2007 1:41 PM
Wow. George doesn't have balls? I'd love to see some of you standing up to the mayor and his bullshit.
10/11/2007 1:50 PM
How is it that Sherman George gets fired for not following directives and the superintendent of our children has failed to follow a year of board directives but she keeps her job Why? She is white and white men are protecting her. Not to mention the one black man that is collecting money from Dick Goldberg to help her.
This city has major race problems. Those same white men write a resolution using Sherman George to get to the mayor and the St. Louis American writes as if these white men are heroes. Black people time to stop being used.
Those same white men fired two black men and hid behind a black woman.
Hey black folks sounds like you are your own problem. You get wht you take. Move on.
10/11/2007 2:37 PM
If you feel so strongly about what the Chief George has done or said, that you posted a comment..Why remain anonymous..I have no respect for you at all..I support Chief George and always will...
10/11/2007 5:38 PM
the anti black racism inherent in these comments is disturbing. there is no need to stoop to the level of insulting Chief George. Many of you commenters should be ashamed of yourselves.
10/11/2007 6:13 PM
Sherman george is a little late with his noise makers. Where were there when this first started? Hey yall you coming to the rally? Plenty of noise. The left Byrson and Veronica's houses and now taken to the streets.
10/11/2007 6:29 PM
"the anti black racism inherent in these comments is disturbing. there is no need to stoop to the level of insulting Chief George."
Hmmm... I think this comment is disturbing. When did disagreement become "anti black racism"? Stop looking at everything in terms of skin color people.
10/11/2007 9:59 PM
Too bad George didn't just promote. Then the NEXT TIME that Slay targeted George, it would be more apparent that Slay was just after George.
And we'd all see that the promotion list is indeed almost all white.
George was not the one that said race was the reason for his not promoting. Everyone else said that.
Now George is calling race a factor for the demotion. Good for him.
If Slay doesn't think he might have a problem ousting the first black fire chief in st louis, he might want to think again.
Let the feds take a look, a good long look.
Shame on Slay, for all of it.
10/11/2007 10:46 PM
The City of St. Louis is considered nationally as the most racially divided place in the United States. This was confirmed on the news program 20/20 a number of years ago. In addition, it was also published and documented in the New York Times. However, St. Louisians don't give a dagnabitt about this because of the culture here.
Many people that move to St. Louis immediately state that they feel the racial tension here, and it is unbelievably strong. We have organizations in place to combat the divide, such as Bridges Across Racial Lines. Unfortunately, the bridge collapsed across racial lines, and can't be refunded due to the new Ballpark Village Across Downtown!
The City of St. Louis is afraid to admit that they are a freakin embarrassment on both sides. The people here love to hate each other and the hatred of each other gives people here something to talk about.
One day the hatred here is going to catch up with everybody and it will probably take a natural disaster to bring the people together here. A natural disaster so bad that people of all backgrounds will have to depend on each other and there will not be enough time to do anything else.
We are due for an earthquake in St. Louis, and one great thing about earthquakes is that they shake things up! St. Louis needs to be shaken up, or we will never move forward toward the global world out there!!!
We should all be ashamed of ourselves in the City of St. Louis and the examples we are illustrating everyday for our children. We are all hypocrites, starting with the local leaders of every kind and ending with people they lead.
I could post my name, but instead I will keep leading by example and working with the people that are truly capable and willing to make St. Louis a better place in the future.
THE YOUTH----THE YOUTH----THE YOUTH
10/12/2007 1:14 AM
I am disappointed that he says he won't run for mayor. I thought he could beat Slay. Any other candiates?
10/12/2007 9:54 AM
Shrewsbury lists FIRE as one of his endorsements. What about a Shrewsbury run for Mayor?
10/12/2007 9:57 AM
I have a question. Does the Firefighters Union have any black members? Does FIRE have any white members? Does the Aldermanic Black Caucus have any white members? Does the Board of Alderman have any black members? Answer the questions honestly and you'll see who the racist really are.
10/12/2007 10:08 AM
The Board of Aldermen has plenty of black members. Geez.
10/12/2007 10:51 AM
As a member in law enforcement and emergency managment I am scared of the recent move by mayor slay to appoint Mr. Bryson and Director of Public Safety.This is a very serious position that requires a person that has a vast knowledge of emergency management and public safety. Mr Bryson might indeed be a great and honorable man, but is clearly not someone who knows the difference between a gas mask and a goalie mask. If you are a citizen of St Louis you must be concerned. A few years ago on the national level, a certain president appointed his friend to the critical position of FEMA... We are still paying for the mistakes of the Pres. buddy Mike "Brownie" Brown in New Orleans. Lives are at stake, the city is less safe with Mr. Bryson in office of Public Safety. The citizens the Alderman must demand a change and demand a safer
St. Louis
10/12/2007 12:20 PM
Slay supports police officers that use baseball tickets, supports fire people that use city employees for personal work, etc. What a great Mayor's office.
10/12/2007 12:30 PM
It seems as if it is never okay to fire a black man. You never hear black people scream over the firing of black women. One should wonder would this have been handled differently if Sherman George were Sheri George.
10/12/2007 10:38 PM
Everyone sees it but, racist White Americans, which is the majority of White people, but not all, minus a very few.
As Mexico's President put it:
America is runned by racist bigots!!!
The only reason White America have problems with illegal Mexicans is because they are cutting into their lofty union construction jobs, but when Corporate America used Mexicans to take away all those jobs that gave Black men in our urban cities jobs that was able to support their families, America kept their mouth shut about that.
Not caring that it devastated Black communities, not even considering Black communities part of America, not much have changed there.
Frankly I hope that all the Mexicans in Mexico come here and take all the unions jobs in this damn country!
Hip Hip Hooray, for all the illegal aliens, give them work permits to work in the construction industry and shut up, all the White bigots out there.
In fact that is exactly what is going to happen, Good!
Where are you going to move all the manufacturing then? G.E. Whirlpool, just about everything is made in Mexico that can be transported to America by 18 wheelers.
We certainly don't won't our neighbor to become allies with the terrorist do you, White America?
So White America be smart and shut up, you have bigger problems than Blacks, but you are too stupid to see that. You think you are so smart, but it is because of your greed and evil hearts that America is in its present shape, and it is not going to get any better, and you fools still can't see beyond your Black oppressive tactics because of your diseased hearts towards Blacks. What is falling onto America, America deserves. And racist White St. Louis, you too are guilty and part of the problem of America.
10/14/2007 7:25 PM
To anonymous on 10/12/2007 10:08am
Yes the union has black memmbers and accepts all Firefighters regardless of race. FIRE only allows blacks into their orginitation and encourages a segregated Department FIRE members who join the union are kicked out of FIRE
10/14/2007 9:07 PM
Looks like Helen is back and talking to herself again. Better to have here because we wish she would leave local 420 office. Mary please don't bring her back.
10/15/2007 12:20 PM
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