click to enlarge Shutterstock.comTwo deputy wardens filed a racial discrimination lawsuit against the Michigan Department of Corrections. A current and former deputy warden are suing the Michigan Department of Corrections, alleging they were denied promotions because they are Black and were retaliated against for launching racial discrimination complaints.The lawsuit, filed in Wayne County Circuit Court, alleges Donald Ricumstrict, of Detroit, and Darrell Steward, of Muskegon, applied multiple times for warden positions and were passed over for less qualified white candidates. In just the first half of this year, both men applied for six vacant warden positions and were turned down for each. “It is a culture dominated by white men.”When employees complain, they are often written up for violating “very vague and opaque” internal work rules, Laurila says.“They use these rules against their employees,” Laurila says.Rasor adds, “This is how they treat their workers. Imagine how they treat their prisoners.”MDOC declined to comment on the lawsuit, citing pending litigation, but referredto the department's court response, which denies that prison officials discriminated against the deputy wardens and retaliated against them.

Source: MetroXpress September 13, 2021 14:15 UTC