Nine current and former Black city staffers sue Lansing for racial discrimination
LANSING – Nine current and former Black city staffers are suing the City of Lansing, Mayor Andy Schor and other top officials for racial discrimination.
The lawsuit filed this week in Ingham County Circuit Court argues the staffers were targeted with disciplinary actions because of their race, subjected to discriminatory comments that created a hostile work environment and then faced retaliation when they complained.
Schor, Deputy Mayor Samantha Harkins and former local fire union President Eric Weber, all of whom are white, are named as defendants along with the city and Chapter 421 of the International Association of Firefighters.
Several firefighters are among those suing, including Randy Talifarro, who resigned his position as Lansing's fire chief in 2018 while serving in a joint role leading both the Lansing and East Lansing fire departments. Talifarro continues to oversee East Lansing's fire department and the two cities no longer share fire administration.
City Attorney Jim Smiertka said Friday morning the city had yet to be served with a lawsuit, but that he had been provided with a document that he believed was the same one circulating in the media.
"My initial reaction is it seems very political in nature," Smiertka said. "There are a lot of conclusions in there. Inflammatory rhetoric."
He added, "It will probably be very expensive litigation based on the amount of plaintiffs."
The lawsuit also argues Weber, the former fire union president, was more likely to advocate for white members of the union while Black members were more likely to be subject to harsh discipline. Weber, who is now retired, said he only learned of the lawsuit through the media and declined to comment on its allegations.
Former staffers worked in various departments
Those bringing the lawsuit include Natasha Atkinson, who says she was fired due to her race from her position as a scheduler in Schor's officer after she complained about microaggressions and racism in the workplace.
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The city fired Atkinson, an at-will employee, in February 2020.
The former staffers also include Collin Boyce, a former city IT director. Boyce was hired by former Mayor Virg Bernero but resigned in May 2019 after Schor took office in January 2018.
Boyce claims in the lawsuit he was subject to racism and discipline due to his race under Schor's administration.
Several Black members of the fire department — former Assistant Fire Chief Bruce Odom, Capt. Michael Demps, firefighter Wesley Demps, Battalion Chief Terry Israel, Administrative Chief Dave Odom, and Fire Logistics Chief Jwan Vanez Randle — have joined Talifarro in filing the latest suit.
Boyce, Talifarro and Bruce Odom all have signed affidavits saying Schor's administration discriminated against Black employees, including making false accusations against employees. The affidavits were filed as part of a separate federal racial discrimination lawsuit brought by Lansing firefighter Michael Lynn, Jr.
Attorney Scott Batey, who represents Lynn in the federal suit and in a separate circuit court suit, is likewise representing the nine current and former staffers in the latest legal action.
Lawsuit alleges routine comment, hostile work environment
Allegations in the 59-page complaint range from racist comments to actions that resulted in discipline for Black employees but not for white employees.
Black staffers were routinely subjected to comments that created a hostile work environment, the complaint states.
According to the suit, Harkins:
- Told Atkinson "we need a young Black woman in the department" when hiring her.
- Referred to Nicholas Tate, a top city official who is Black and who now serves alongside Harkins as deputy mayor, and said Tate made "her ovaries scream out at her" and that she "loves Black men."
- Argued with Joan Jackson Johnson, a former Lansing director who retired after an audit found conflicts of interest and financial mismanagement within her department. Jackson Johnson is Black and Harkins told Atkinson, who overhead the argument, that "professional Black women have a bad attitude" and a chip on their shoulders "maybe rightfully so, but they have to learn to take direction."
Harkins did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Boyce, the IT director who resigned, said he felt other city officials were trying to force him out of his position and that he was subject to disproportionate discipline because of his race.
Boyce said he received a written reprimand for bringing his children to the office one day a week, even though, according to the lawsuit, white employees brought children, grandchildren and pets to the office without being disciplined.
The lawsuit also claims Fire Chief David Purchase falsely accused Boyce and Talifarro of stealing a computer program.
Talifarro's signed affidavit used as an exhibit in Lynn's federal case adds there were "outrageous suggestions" that he stole equipment to give to East Lansing.
In general, that affidavit reads, the city "had adopted a policy of treating African Americans differently and accusing them of things they did not do."
Dave Odom said during a deposition for that same case that while Schor was campaigning, he told unionized firefighters who asked whether he would keep Chief Talifarro that "he had to look into that and see but he hadn’t heard anything good about him."
He added he hasn’t seen Schor's administration do anything to address discrimination within the fire department.
In the latest lawsuit, others also make claims specific to the fire department:
- Wesley Demps claims an administrator refused to let him take an examination that would qualify him to become battalion chief because of Demps' race. Demps also says he was falsely accused of stealing time.
- Israel says he received an unpaid suspension after being investigated for working remotely during the spring, while white battalion chiefs also working remotely during the coronavirus pandemic were not investigated.
- Bruce Odom says Weber interfered with Odom's promotion to assistant chief by getting Schor to push for the promotion to be put on hold. The lawsuit claims this was due to Odom's race.
- After becoming assistant chief, Odom believes he was paid less than white firefighters in the same position. Odom ended up retiring and says he purchased early retirement credits so he could leave a hostile environment.
Schor: City maintains commitment to diversity
"Mayor Schor and his administration take pride in the diversity of city staff and the valuable input that they all provide," Valerie Marchand, a spokeswoman for the city, said in a statement.
Marchand said the city would formally respond to the lawsuit once it is served. She referred any further comment to Smiertka.
Check back for updates.