A North Carolina Reader Reports On An American Patriot Fired For Talking Back To His Diversity Trainer
01/03/2012
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[Previous Letter: A Texas Reader Wonders What's Happened To Austin]

From: John J. Pershing [Email him]

Perhaps SC state employee Mark Kelly, who was "fired by agency managers for his comments about faith and patriotism during a mandatory diversity workshop " should have kept his mouth shut, except to publicly projectile vomit about 15 minutes into this indoctrination session (and thus be excused from listening to the remainder of diversity trainer Carl Wells ' nauseating and divisive claptrap). [Email Carl Wells.]

The workshop Kelly and a group of LLR employees attended was entitled “Cultural Diversity Awareness Training” and was conducted by Carl Wells, a member of USC’s Office of Equal Opportunity Programs.

During the workshop, the suit alleges that Wells stated several times that Americans are “arrogant” and that “when communicating with those of (another) culture” agency employees should “consider (themselves) Americans second.”

Kelly – a 13-year member of the U.S. Army National Guard who was deployed overseas multiple times – asked the instructor why he shouldn’t think like an American while in the United States.According to the lawsuit, Wells also is alleged to have said that, “When dealing with people of (another) culture,” agency employees “need to put their faith in the back seat.” Kelly reportedly then asked, “At what point are we allowed to acknowledge our own faith or country?”

The suit states that, at the beginning of the workshop, Wells encouraged comments and discussion, saying that it was not his job to educate but “to only present information.”

Fired state employee alleges First Amendment rights violated, By Mindy Lucas , December 23, 2011

Check out Wells's USC: Office of Equal Opportunity Programs Staff Page:Carl Wells

 

Carl Wells Director of Access and Equity/Diversity Training

 

Mr. Wells is responsible for directing the University's Access and Equity Program and coordinating the Office of Equal Opportunity Programs' diversity training and education initiatives. Mr. Wells has more than 12 years experience as a trainer and facilitator. Prior to his tenure with the Office of Equal Opportunity Programs, Mr. Wells served as the University's Director of Multicultural Student Affairs for 5 years. In this capacity, he was responsible for developing programs and services that positively affected the retention and success of minority students. He was also responsible for coordinating campus-wide diversity education initiatives. Additionally, he often serves as consultant for both the public and private sector. He received his undergraduate degree from Winthrop University, his masters degree from Emory University and his Ph.D. from the University of South Carolina.

See previous letters from John J. Pershing.
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