From Firehouse.com: The Spokane Valley Fire Department on Monday fired a captain who
continued to send religious emails from his department email account
despite numerous orders to stop.
Capt. Jon Sprague, who runs the Spokane County Christian Firefighter
Fellowship, has been disciplined several times for sending the emails.
This year, he received a letter of counseling, a letter of reprimand and
a second letter of reprimand with a suspension of two 24-hour shifts
without pay before the Spokane Valley Board of Fire Commissioners voted
unanimously to fire him.
Sprague sends out emails using the taxpayer-funded agency's email
system to a group of firefighters who have agreed to receive the
notices. They contain information about upcoming meetings and events of a
Christian fellowship group. He has emphasized that he is not
proselytizing and said he believes sending the emails is his First
Amendment right.
McMahon called Sprague an "excellent firefighter" and a "good human being."
In a prepared statement read to commissioners, Sprague defended his
right to send the emails to fellow firefighters who agreed to receive
them. "Their content has not violated a single rule of this department,"
he said.
Sprague closed his comments by saying "In God we Trust." The
standing-room-only crowd of firefighters who attended the meeting to
support Sprague burst into applause when he finished.
Commissioner Joe Dawson said the issue is that Sprague has repeatedly
refused to follow the order to stop sending the emails."This certainly
doesn't bring us any pleasure," Commissioner Kolby Hanson said.
"Certainly there's no joy in doing this." After the vote, Sprague shook
the hand of each commissioner before receiving a series of handshakes
and hugs from his fellow firefighters.
Sprague said he hasn't decided whether he will appeal the decision
through the Civil Service Commission or file a grievance through the
union. He said an investigation is being conducted by the Equal
Employment Opportunity Commission, which enforces federal laws banning
discrimination. http://www.firehouse.com/news/10812386/religious-emails-cost-wash-fire-captain-his-job
All i can say is that I hope this fire department never allows any kind of e-mail other than e-mails that directly relate to firefighting, otherwie the fire department will lose big time in court.
Rocks
1 hour ago
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