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Todays Americans have little understanding or respect for the flag. It is a combination of ignorance and indifference. They have no problem with flying the flag until it is in tatters or draping themselves in a flag like a beach towel. During the National Anthem they never bother to remove their hats or show respect.
If you were not in the military or the scouts you have no concept of how a flag should be folded or treated respectfully.
I don't think that is true. I think most Americans understand how it is supposed to be handled. I am sceptical about the claims of this janitor regarding the flag, the handling of the flag, his other problems with his job, etc. He seems to have no credibility. The flag may very well have not been mishandled. It would be very surprising and rather incredible that if it were actually be mishandled, school administrators would not care: my experience of school administrator in the US, and I have quite a bit of experience in dealing with them on a professional basis, is that they would be very much concerned if the flag were not being handled with respect. I think the janitor is full of shit and probably deserved to be fired for other reasons, now he's looking to get some compensation saying he was unfairly fired. He's also apparently trying to get compensation for an on the job injury. A piece of work this guy seems to be.
I find it interesting that you would think a veteran who has given at least 4 years service to his country is lying about the mistreatment of the flag. Considering he posted corroborating photos on facebook, you seem to be saying he crumpled up the flag himself and placed it in a couple different locations.
Why would you believe this vet is lying? The school did not even deny the flag was mistreated. It has only claimed that he wasn't fired for his facebook posts.
I think you owe the man an apology, don't you?
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
Todays Americans have little understanding or respect for the flag. It is a combination of ignorance and indifference. They have no problem with flying the flag until it is in tatters or draping themselves in a flag like a beach towel. During the National Anthem they never bother to remove their hats or show respect.
If you were not in the military or the scouts you have no concept of how a flag should be folded or treated respectfully.
I don't think that is true. I think most Americans understand how it is supposed to be handled. I am sceptical about the claims of this janitor regarding the flag, the handling of the flag, his other problems with his job, etc. He seems to have no credibility. The flag may very well have not been mishandled. It would be very surprising and rather incredible that if it were actually be mishandled, school administrators would not care: my experience of school administrator in the US, and I have quite a bit of experience in dealing with them on a professional basis, is that they would be very much concerned if the flag were not being handled with respect. I think the janitor is full of shit and probably deserved to be fired for other reasons, now he's looking to get some compensation saying he was unfairly fired. He's also apparently trying to get compensation for an on the job injury. A piece of work this guy seems to be.
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 wasnt because of the photos. He said he couldnt comment further because its 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 wasnt 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 didnt change the way she handled the flag.
Arends said on Monday that Zakahi was called into the superintendents 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.
Todays Americans have little understanding or respect for the flag. It is a combination of ignorance and indifference. They have no problem with flying the flag until it is in tatters or draping themselves in a flag like a beach towel. During the National Anthem they never bother to remove their hats or show respect.
If you were not in the military or the scouts you have no concept of how a flag should be folded or treated respectfully.
I don't think that is true. I think most Americans understand how it is supposed to be handled. I am sceptical about the claims of this janitor regarding the flag, the handling of the flag, his other problems with his job, etc. He seems to have no credibility. The flag may very well have not been mishandled. It would be very surprising and rather incredible that if it were actually be mishandled, school administrators would not care: my experience of school administrator in the US, and I have quite a bit of experience in dealing with them on a professional basis, is that they would be very much concerned if the flag were not being handled with respect. I think the janitor is full of shit and probably deserved to be fired for other reasons, now he's looking to get some compensation saying he was unfairly fired. He's also apparently trying to get compensation for an on the job injury. A piece of work this guy seems to be.
I have found the picture of the flag crumbled up that the janitor took and posted on the internet. A flag shouldn't be treated that way, but the janitor shouldn't have treated the school that way. He should have helped the woman take the flag down and final folded it himself. The two of them could have quickly done the initial folding. I did the final folding on flags, because when other did it, it was rejected and I was required to stay there until it was done correctly. I had a few times when someone with me took enough interest to want to practice, but usually they just handed the flag to me, so they could get out of there. It wasn't like I had to do it all the time, but you do it right and those MPs made sure it was removed from the flag pole and folded properly.
http://www.argusleader.com/article/...red-after-posting-Facebook-photo-hires-lawyer
Have you considered that he may have offered to and the female employee that handled the flag actually wanted to keep the job for some reason?Why would we? As a veteran, I would have simply taken it upon myself to rectify the situation BY DOING IT MYSELF if no one else seemed able or willing.
Come on Bodie. You're a vet can't you come down on this guy's side for once, or does he sound to conservative or homophobic for you?
I would come down on his side if he took ACTION rather than being a little weasle. How long do you think THAT kind of behavior would have flown in the military?....ok, besides the Air Force.....
Have you considered that he may have offered to and the female employee that handled the flag actually wanted to keep the job for some reason?
Come on Bodie. You're a vet can't you come down on this guy's side for once, or does he sound to conservative or homophobic for you?
I would come down on his side if he took ACTION rather than being a little weasle. How long do you think THAT kind of behavior would have flown in the military?....ok, besides the Air Force.....
In the military, he would have gotten some action when he first reported the situation. He wouldn't have needed to go outside the chain of command.
I would come down on his side if he took ACTION rather than being a little weasle. How long do you think THAT kind of behavior would have flown in the military?....ok, besides the Air Force.....
In the military, he would have gotten some action when he first reported the situation. He wouldn't have needed to go outside the chain of command.
What was the first reaction he got?
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 wasnt because of the photos. He said he couldnt comment further because its 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 wasnt 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 didnt change the way she handled the flag.
Arends said on Monday that Zakahi was called into the superintendents 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.
Where did this come from?
Link?
Don't the rotc kids usually take the flag down anyway?
In the military, he would have gotten some action when he first reported the situation. He wouldn't have needed to go outside the chain of command.
What was the first reaction he got?
Apathy. Didn't you bother to read the article?
In the military, he would have gotten some action when he first reported the situation. He wouldn't have needed to go outside the chain of command.
What was the first reaction he got?
Apathy. Didn't you bother to read the article?
What was the first reaction he got?
Apathy. Didn't you bother to read the article?
That wing wipping, runway sweeping, control freak didn't have to go postal on that woman, who wasn't in the military, boy scouts and was too young to have to fold a flag in school.
I'm not the kind of person who would burn the flag of my enemy, but I don't demand others to do as I do. I make up my own mind on what I do and give others the same freedom. I don't have Uncle Sam tatooed on my ass.
I hope they win a nice big fat chunk of money and the School Superintendent is removed from office as soon as possible.
If I did something like this at work, I'd be fired too.
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.
For that reason alone, he has no case.
Yep...people on their probationary period can be let go for any or no reason whatsoever.
Almost true. However, even those on probationary periods cannot be fired for a number of reasons including, of course, prohibited discriminatory reasons such as race, age, union support, etc. Right-to-work states are not immune from an assortment of laws which bar terminations for illegal reasons, and probationary status does not give the employer a right to violate anti-discrimination laws.
I would urge that anyone who is terminated for any reason contact an attorney who specializes in employment law. I am aware of a number of probationary employees who appealed their termination and won.
Edited to add that OP's link revealed the employee filed a claim for an on-the-job injury prior to his termination; thus the employee may be able to allege illegal retaliatory termination for exercising his rights under his state's labor laws. Federal law and as far as I know the labor laws of every state make it illegal for an employer to fire someone because they filed a claim involving an on-the-job injury. An employee's probationary status is irrelevant.
If I did something like this at work, I'd be fired too.
