Supreme Court: Chicago must hire bypassed black firefighter candidates

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/2309372,black-firefighter-lawsuit-052410.article

May 24, 2010

By FRAN SPIELMAN City Hall Reporter

The Chicago Fire Department must hire roughly 120 bypassed black firefighter candidates — and distribute $40 million in damages to 6,000 others who will never get that chance — thanks to a landmark ruling today by the U.S. Supreme Court.

“People say, ‘Happy Friday.’ This is Happy Monday. It’s long overdue,” said Annette Nance-Holt, past president of the African-American Firefighters and Paramedics League of Chicago.

“We had already won before, and the city turned around and appealed. We finally got a favorable ruling that’ll make the city do this. It’s a victory for the community. This is a diverse city, and we need diversity in the Fire Department.”
By a 9-0 vote, the Supreme Court ruled that bypassed black candidates did not wait too long before filing a lawsuit that accused the city of discriminating against them for the way it handled a 1995 firefighter’s entrance exam.

[BlueIris]

1. K&R for some good news. nt

[ProgressiveProfessor]

2. Things like this are one of the reasons the party needs to find a reputable leader to replace Daley

[Kber]

3. 9 - 0?

I'm stunned. I didn't think the Supreme Court could agree 100% on anything. Granted, I haven't read the details, but this must really be a slam dunk case.

[indepat]

5. Oh cynical me thinking the felonious ones never sided on the side of justice, reason, or the

Constitution. :P

[rurallib]

4. wasn't it about a year ago they were beating Sotomayor up because

of a firefighter {reverse} discrimination case from ?Connecticut? that SCOTUS upheld 5 - 4.
Gonna be interesting to see the story on this.