School Janitor Fired for wanting American Flag treated with respect.

[OriginalShroom]

I hope they win a nice big fat chunk of money and the School Superintendent is removed from office as soon as possible.

A Fort Pierre man who said he was fired from a school district after posting photos of a crumpled U.S. flag on Facebook has obtained legal counsel to evaluate his options, and his lawyer said cooler heads can prevail in the matter.

Cesar Zakahi of Fort Pierre told several local media outlets that he posted the photos over the weekend to draw attention to the fact that a co-worker was disrespecting the American flag. Zakahi said the Stanley County School District fired him on Monday for posting the photos.


Superintendent Don Hotalling confirmed Zakahi no longer works for the Stanley County School District, but he said it wasn’t because of the photos. He said he couldn’t comment further because it’s a personnel issue.


Zakahi, who is an Air Force veteran, claims a coworker would crumple up the American and South Dakota flags and put them on a boiler after taking them down from an outside pole. Joel Arends, a Sioux Falls lawyer, has been hired to represent Zakahi in the matter, and said Zakahi has, over the last month or so, reported to his immediate supervisor and to Hotalling that the flag was being mishandled.


He said Zakahi felt his complaint wasn’t being addressed, and the flag continued to be mishandled, sometimes being crumpled up on a boiler, other times being crumpled up next to toilet bowl cleaner. Arends said Zakahi posted the photos online only after the other worker didn’t change the way she handled the flag.


Arends said on Monday that Zakahi was called into the superintendent’s office, along with his immediate supervisor, and the superintendent told him the photos embarrassed him and that he was out of bounds for posting the photos, so he was fired. Prior to the firing, Zakahi also filed an injury report about an injured knee he received while performing janitorial duties at the school, Arends said.


Zakahi was still within his 90-day probation period when he was terminated.

 

[Dubya]

I hope they win a nice big fat chunk of money and the School Superintendent is removed from office as soon as possible.

A Fort Pierre man who said he was fired from a school district after posting photos of a crumpled U.S. flag on Facebook has obtained legal counsel to evaluate his options, and his lawyer said cooler heads can prevail in the matter.

Cesar Zakahi of Fort Pierre told several local media outlets that he posted the photos over the weekend to draw attention to the fact that a co-worker was disrespecting the American flag. Zakahi said the Stanley County School District fired him on Monday for posting the photos.


Superintendent Don Hotalling confirmed Zakahi no longer works for the Stanley County School District, but he said it wasn’t because of the photos. He said he couldn’t comment further because it’s a personnel issue.


Zakahi, who is an Air Force veteran, claims a coworker would crumple up the American and South Dakota flags and put them on a boiler after taking them down from an outside pole. Joel Arends, a Sioux Falls lawyer, has been hired to represent Zakahi in the matter, and said Zakahi has, over the last month or so, reported to his immediate supervisor and to Hotalling that the flag was being mishandled.


He said Zakahi felt his complaint wasn’t being addressed, and the flag continued to be mishandled, sometimes being crumpled up on a boiler, other times being crumpled up next to toilet bowl cleaner. Arends said Zakahi posted the photos online only after the other worker didn’t change the way she handled the flag.


Arends said on Monday that Zakahi was called into the superintendent’s office, along with his immediate supervisor, and the superintendent told him the photos embarrassed him and that he was out of bounds for posting the photos, so he was fired. Prior to the firing, Zakahi also filed an injury report about an injured knee he received while performing janitorial duties at the school, Arends said.


Zakahi was still within his 90-day probation period when he was terminated.

So the man couldn't hold that job as a school janitor for 3 months. If we had guns in our schools that janitor could make that flag crumpling co-worker dance and if he lived in Wyoming instead of Colorado, he could have a gun as long as it wasn't concealed. Have you wondered why he didn't think of taking the flags down himself, instead of telling someone else how they have to do it, or was he still being trained how to sweep a floor?

 

[OriginalShroom]

So the man couldn't hold that job as a school janitor for 3 months. If we had guns in our schools that janitor could make that flag crumpling co-worker dance and if he lived in Wyoming instead of Colorado, he could have a gun as long as it wasn't concealed. Have you wondered why he didn't think of taking the flags down himself, instead of telling someone else how they have to do it, or was he still being trained how to sweep a floor?

Are you really and truly that hateful and unable to separate one issue from another?

 

[Dubya]

So the man couldn't hold that job as a school janitor for 3 months. If we had guns in our schools that janitor could make that flag crumpling co-worker dance and if he lived in Wyoming instead of Colorado, he could have a gun as long as it wasn't concealed. Have you wondered why he didn't think of taking the flags down himself, instead of telling someone else how they have to do it, or was he still being trained how to sweep a floor?

Are you really and truly that hateful and unable to separate one issue from another?

Why didn't he take the flags down himself?

 

[rightwinger]

He was a probationary employee who publically embarassed his school

There are other ways to ensure proper treatment of the flag without posting photos over the internet. Protocol is key as you should report it up the chain of command. As a vet, he should have explained how much it means to him and offered to take down the flag properly

Probationary employees should not make waves...and he made waves

 

[LoneLaugher]

The politics forum is rife with news accounts of people/students being treated unfairly in public schools. We should close all public schools immediately and return all responsibility for educating our children to parents and religious institutions.

 

[Seawytch]

South Dakota is an "at will" state. Can there even be a lawsuit?

 

[Inthemiddle]

If I did something like this at work, I'd be fired too.

 

[Dubya]

So the man couldn't hold that job as a school janitor for 3 months. If we had guns in our schools that janitor could make that flag crumpling co-worker dance and if he lived in Wyoming instead of Colorado, he could have a gun as long as it wasn't concealed. Have you wondered why he didn't think of taking the flags down himself, instead of telling someone else how they have to do it, or was he still being trained how to sweep a floor?

Are you really and truly that hateful and unable to separate one issue from another?

No, I feel sorry for the guy injuring his knee, while begging to keep his school janitor job. He needs to get up to Wyoming where he can carry a gun and make those co-workers dance.

 

[Seawytch]

So the man couldn't hold that job as a school janitor for 3 months. If we had guns in our schools that janitor could make that flag crumpling co-worker dance and if he lived in Wyoming instead of Colorado, he could have a gun as long as it wasn't concealed. Have you wondered why he didn't think of taking the flags down himself, instead of telling someone else how they have to do it, or was he still being trained how to sweep a floor?

Are you really and truly that hateful and unable to separate one issue from another?

Why didn't he take the flags down himself?

That's what I want to know. If he was that concerned about the flags treatment every evening, why not volunteer to take it down yourself...or rig a light to be on it all the time so it can stay up.

 

[Esmeralda]

The politics forum is rife with news accounts of people/students being treated unfairly in public schools. We should close all public schools immediately and return all responsibility for educating our children to parents and religious institutions.

LOL Oh, good idea. Religious institutions don't mistreat children. Especially not the Catholic Church.

And for many children, the only time they are safe from abuse (verbal, emotional, physical and sexual) is when they are in school.

As far as the janitor in this story: I'm with those who question the credibility of a man who cannot even hold down a janitor's job for 3 months without getting fired. I think there is more to it than this flag thing.

 

[bodecea]

So the man couldn't hold that job as a school janitor for 3 months. If we had guns in our schools that janitor could make that flag crumpling co-worker dance and if he lived in Wyoming instead of Colorado, he could have a gun as long as it wasn't concealed. Have you wondered why he didn't think of taking the flags down himself, instead of telling someone else how they have to do it, or was he still being trained how to sweep a floor?

Are you really and truly that hateful and unable to separate one issue from another?

It is a valid point...why didn't he take the flag down himself? Why didn't he teach that other worker how to fold the flag respectfully? And....let me add, he did NOT have tenure at the school district. This means he could be fired at will. That's what it is like without tenure (and yes...other workers besides teachers have tenure, it's just called being classified a permanent worker)

 

[Dubya]

Are you really and truly that hateful and unable to separate one issue from another?

Why didn't he take the flags down himself?

That's what I want to know. If he was that concerned about the flags treatment every evening, why not volunteer to take it down yourself...or rig a light to be on it all the time so it can stay up.

I don't know how it is today, but in the old days, we had people in the service and similar government jobs who made a career out of doing the least they could every moment they were working. It was almost like a religion to them and they took pride whenever they could skate and avoid doing something.

I haven't been serious discussing this, just to antagonize OriginalShroom, but I understand people who have been taught how to treat a flag and I remember taking down the flag at our school, before we left for the day. From what I recall, the Principal would catch us going by in the hallway and ask two of us to take down the flag and bring it to him. Two people is the way to do it quickly and carefully for a school size flag. In the service, it's a ceremony and I recall taking down those big garrison flags at times, which required many people to keep it from touching the ground. I remember I was good at folding the normal size flags and it may be because of more practice. If that guy removed flags in the service, he should know it's easier with two people removing the flag and folding it until the final fold by someone taking their time to get it right. He should have got off his lazy ass and helped the woman co-worker, instead of bitching about what she did.

 

[Bigfoot]

So the man couldn't hold that job as a school janitor for 3 months. If we had guns in our schools that janitor could make that flag crumpling co-worker dance and if he lived in Wyoming instead of Colorado, he could have a gun as long as it wasn't concealed. Have you wondered why he didn't think of taking the flags down himself, instead of telling someone else how they have to do it, or was he still being trained how to sweep a floor?

Are you really and truly that hateful and unable to separate one issue from another?

Yes, Dubya is a hateful, bitter old man who enjoys his misery.

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

Zakahi was still within his 90-day probation period when he was terminated.

For that reason alone, he has no case.

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

We should close all public schools immediately and return all responsibility for educating our children to parents and religious institutions.

I think that's a fine idea.

And when did a child's education stop being a parental responsibility, by the way, public schools or not?

 

[jknowgood]

So the man couldn't hold that job as a school janitor for 3 months. If we had guns in our schools that janitor could make that flag crumpling co-worker dance and if he lived in Wyoming instead of Colorado, he could have a gun as long as it wasn't concealed. Have you wondered why he didn't think of taking the flags down himself, instead of telling someone else how they have to do it, or was he still being trained how to sweep a floor?

Are you really and truly that hateful and unable to separate one issue from another?

No, I feel sorry for the guy injuring his knee, while begging to keep his school janitor job. He needs to get up to Wyoming where he can carry a gun and make those co-workers dance.

Is it just me, or am I the only one that didn't read anything about a gun? Gosh and liberals call us gun nuts.

 

[bodecea]

Zakahi was still within his 90-day probation period when he was terminated.

For that reason alone, he has no case.

Yep...people on their probationary period can be let go for any or no reason whatsoever.

 

[Bigfoot]

Zakahi was still within his 90-day probation period when he was terminated.

For that reason alone, he has no case.

Yeah, he sounds like he was fishing for an easy ticket anyway.

 

[DiamondDave]

He may have no recourse for being fired as a probational employee... BUT bad publicity may indeed force the school system to give him his job back

As for taking down the flags himself... maybe, just maybe, it was not his job... did not have the key to the flag pole (yes, the HS my kids go to has a lock on it so the flag cannot just be taken up and down by anyone).. there may be ALL KINDS OF REASONS why he did not or could not

regardless.. the chump employee that did treat the flags like that should be disciplined