Equal Opportunity, My Foot

To: 'Linda Cobbe'

Subject: RE: public information

Linda, this is an old executive order that I used when I filed with the EEOC to get the City of Tampa and the Sheriff’s Department to admit women as law-enforcement officers. President Johnson wrote it. Since the first executive order on equal employment opportunity, a number of others have augmented it. Your personnel person in charge should know all about these. One addresses discrimination against handicapped people. I want to see how the schools have addressed this part of equal opportunity and how it was applied in the case of Linda Kipley’s husband’s appointment to a job that he did not have the qualifications for, including a college degree, whereas a handicapped woman who had applied for the job had stellar qualifications and experience.

Also, I am still asking for that statement of Dr. Hamilton’s that he wrote in ’06, I believe, in which he told new board members how to comport themselves. All the board members got a copy; so did the lawyer. One of them will give it to you if you ask them, I am sure. I would like a copy of it, please. ldd

Executive Order 11246

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Executive Order 11246, signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson on September 24, 1965 required Equal Employment Opportunity. The Order "prohibits federal contractors and federally assisted construction contractors and subcontractors, who do over $10,000 in Government business in one year from discriminating in employment decisions on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin."[1] Contractors are also required to "take affirmative action to ensure that applicants are employed, and that employees are treated during employment, without regard to their race, color, religion, sex or national origin."

The order was a follow-up to Executive Order 10479 signed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower on August 13, 1953 establishing the anti-discrimination Committee on Government Contracts. This order was amended by six subsequent Executive Orders - see [2]

The term Equal Opportunity Employment originated here.

The Executive Order also required contractors with 50 or more employees and contracts of $50,000 or more to implement affirmative action plans to increase the participation of minorities and women in the workplace if a workforce analysis demonstrates their underrepresentation. Underrepresentation is defined as there being fewer minorities and women than would be expected, given the statistics of the area from which the workforce is drawn. The statistics used are those minorities and women qualified to hold the positions available, not all minorities or women in a given geographical area. Pursuant to federal regulations, affirmative action plans must consist of an equal opportunity policy statement, an analysis of the current work force, identification of underrepresented areas, the establishment of reasonable, flexible goals and timetables for increasing employment opportunities, specific action-oriented programs to address problem areas, support for community action programs, and the establishment of an internal audit and reporting system.

Though the myth persists that affirmative action requires quotas, quotas are actually illegal. Other common myths are that in implementing an affirmative action plan, an employer can remove an employee from a job and replace that employee with a minority or female (the employer cannot) and employers are required to hire unqualified employees (they are not). Employers may, in fact, engage in these activities, but it is because they choose to do so, not because it is required by law. Employers who choose to engage in such actions lose the protection that the law provides to employers who are sued by those who believe they are adversely impacted by implementation of an affirmative action plan.

From: Linda Cobbe [mailto:lcobbe@sdhc.us]
Sent: Wednesday, August 20, 2008 12:44 PM
To: lee
Subject: Re: public information

Wynne Tye is the new assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction.

Can you give me an idea of what we're supposed to have an affirmative action plan for? We do have statements all over the place about non-discrimination in our hiring practices. Is that what you mean?

Linda E. Cobbe

External Communications Manager

Hillsborough County Public Schools

901 E. Kennedy Blvd.

Tampa, FL 33602

813-272-4602 (O)

813-493-6964 (C)

813-272-4510 (F)

Our mission is to provide an education that enables each student to excel as a successful and responsible citizen.

"lee" <tdecesar@tampabay.rr.com> writes:

Thank you. I am sorry to cause you extra work, but my husband required my attention last meeting.

Isn’t Mr. Valdez the head of personnel? And what is the name of the woman whom Ms. Elia put in Dr. Gregor’s spot when he left? I would like to see her personell folder. ldd

From: Linda Cobbe [mailto:lcobbe@sdhc.us]

Sent: Wednesday, August 20, 2008 8:11 AM

To: lee de cesare

Subject: Re: public information

Yes, we had the travel information here the last board meeting because you had said you were attending. I'll gather it again for the Sept. 4 meeting.

Who do you mean when you refer to Mr. Valdez?

Linda E. Cobbe

External Communications Manager

Hillsborough County Public Schools

901 E. Kennedy Blvd.

Tampa, FL 33602

813-272-4602 (O)

813-493-6964 (C)

813-272-4510 (F)

Our mission is to provide an education that enables each student to excel as a successful and responsible citizen.

"lee de cesare" <tdecesar@tampabay.rr.com> writes:

Linda, I have asked before to see the travel folio of the school board when I come in next to a board meeting. Whenever that is, I will come by before going to the board room. I also want to see the Wynn Tye personnel folder at the same time. I believe she is the replacement for Dr. Gregor.

I have asked you for the affirmative action plan required for handicapped workers that Executive Order ll246 requires. I haven’t got a reply yet. I imagine Mr. Valdez knows where it is because he himself may have written it. If the schools do not have this required affirmative action plan for contractors, then tell me that. Thank you. Lee