Washington ‘Equity Director’ Fired; Investigation Finds Racism, Sexism And Messages From God

Washing State has fired their anti-racist ‘director of the Office of Equity’ for being a huge racist, according to findings from an internal investigation obtained by The Center Square.

Hired in 2021, Dr. Karen Johnson was fired on May 17 by Gov. Jay Inslee after an internal investigation launched in November – and published nine days later – found that she engaged in “inappropriate conduct,” which included “inappropriate or insensitive comments,” including ethnic remarks.

For example, Johnson, pictured above, told one female employee that she couldn’t wear her hair in braids because it was “cultural appropriation.” (Oh?)

More specific allegations via The Center Square;

• Dr. Johnson accusing certain OFM employees of being paternalistic during a meeting, then getting “infuriated” and telling her staff to log off the meeting when Chief Financial Officer David Schumacher indicated that she did not know what the term meant and the dictionary definition was read.
• Dr. Johnson “alluding” to employees that she received messages from God and telling specific people that “God had instructed her to hire them and that they would be disappointing God by not accepting the role.”
• Dr. Johnson, who is Black, telling a Mexican employee that “this may take some time for me because I generally distrust Mexican people. Mexican people have the option of being White when it is convenient for them.”

The investigation, which involved more than a dozen witnesses and 2.649 pages of documentation, also found that Johnson “was disorganized and lacked adequate structure and process,” and publicly criticized employees.

In a letter to the law firm which conducted the investigation, Johnson said: “If this decision means that, by default, what has been said about me without me stands as fact, so be it,” adding “I must keep a clear conscious by not participating in this triangulating behavior, one of my non-negotiables. My truth is that I am more than willing to make myself available to meet with you and the person(s) bringing the allegation(s)/concern(s), as is my custom. Seeking reconciliation is more important to me than seeking to prove who is right. My destiny depends on this decision and destiny demands that I move forward.”

Investigators also found that since the office was set up in 2021, five out of 17 employees resigned. “Each of the individuals who resigned attributed their decision to leave, at least in part, to a chaotic, overburdened, and disrespectful workplace culture created by Dr. Johnson.”

Employees raised several concerns, including a lack of organizational process and procedures, micromanagement, and a lack of work-life balance, as well as “inappropriate or insensitive comments.”

One employee was “publicly chastised” for attending a meeting they had been invited to at the governor’s office without getting permission or notifying Johnson, and another reported being “shamed” by Johnson in a private meeting and in public.

Investigators said several people raised concerns of “biased and insensitive conduct,” including stereotyping and bias based on gender, bias against Mexicans, and tokenism related to military veteran status. –Seattle Times

Two employees “were told to wear makeup, specifically lipstick,” according to the report – a claim denied by Johnson.

According to Johnson, “the staff she was given did not have the skill set needed to operate with emotional maturity. Her staff operated like they needed a boss to tell them what to do. They could not operate at the speed of trust with character and competence.”

Also, at least two of them were Mexican – so Johnson would “generally distrust” them.