Melting pot
The
McBain Rural Agricultural School system was looking for a new superintendent of schools. They called in a consultant to help them. He put together a three-page announcement of the job and its
requirements. The
ACLU in Michigan was told about the requirements.
By listing a "Christian background and philosophy" as a job requirement for a new superintendent, you are likely violating numerous federal and state laws, including the Establishment Clause and Equal Protection Clause of the United States Constitution, the corresponding guarantees of the Michigan Constitution, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and Michigan's Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act, all of which prohibit public schools and/or employers from discriminating based on religion in hiring.
The good news is that
there was a quick and decisive response.
Scott Crosby, the regional president of the Michigan Leadership Institute for West Central Michigan, responded to the American Civil Liberties Union's request to remove any reference to religion from a McBain Rural Agricultural Schools' job posting.
Crosby admitted that the wording was "poor judgment" on his part, not the school board. The religious reference was not meant to discriminate, but was intended to reflect the area's "close-knit and conservative" beliefs, he said.
This is a good story in that a potential violation of citizens' rights was pointed out and a serious response, without defensiveness, was given. So even though this does not solve many of the basic issues it highlights, it shows that there can be constructive movement forward in mistakes in judgement.