TKC BREAKING NEWS!!! KANSAS CITY COUNCILMAN JERMAINE REED STANDS IN THE COLD TO "BAN THE BOX" AND CHAMPION FELONY FORGIVENESS!!!
On a very cold Kansas City morning, Councilman Jermaine Reed stood in front of City Hall and touted legislation aimed at offering former criminals a second chance at gainful employment.
Councilman Reed's Legislation:
Ordinance# 130230
"Directing the Director of Human Resources amend the City’s employment application to eliminate the field requiring disclosure of past criminal records."
Councilman Reed stressed that his initiative was not aimed at subverting background checks against that City Hall is still required to run.
"What we're doing is making sure that past mistakes of people who have reformed their lives don't get in the way of their ability to earn a living," Councilman Reed said. "The City will still look for the best candidate but now without attaching an unfair stigma to otherwise qualified applicants."
Councilman Reed: "I'd like to ask people to think of their friends and relatives who might have made a mistake in the past. Would you want to deny them an opportunity to help better themselves and work toward a better life?"
Councilman Michael Brooks also spoke in favor of the ordinance.
"I'm here to support this ordinance that offers our residents a second chance," Councilman Brooks said. "Several of my constituents and fellow clergy support this effort aimed at helping create more opportunity."
Councilman John Sharp's endorsement of the ordinance looked at the big picture.
"This is a public safety issue," Councilman Sharp said. "Time again it's been proven that the most effective way to keep people away from crime is to create job opportunities."
"This nation incarcerates more people than anywhere else in the world," Councilman Sharp said. "When former offenders have paid their debt and come back to our streets looking for work. We can't justify discrimination and put them in a situation where they can either return to a life of crime or starve to death."
Newbie MO State Rep. Randy Dunn also spoke in favor of the ordinance in addition to several neighborhood leaders and members of the clergy.
Council members expect this measure to pass out of the Finance, Governance and Public Safety Committee this Wednesday and go before the Mayor and Council for full approval soon after.
DEVELOPING . . .
Kansas City 4 Second Chances!
ReplyDeleteSure thing, hire them as daycare providers! What could go wrong?
Yes, please layoff ten and twenty year loyal employees with families so you can hire your felon buddies. WTF has this city government turned into?
ReplyDeleteGreat. And we wonder why our culture is falling behind the world powers when our leadership promotes economic development for felons? Ever wonder what tomorrow's HR related conflicts will bring?
ReplyDeleteI hope we require these convicts to bring their weapons to the workplace in the interest of public safety.
They need to let ex-cons get liquor cards.
ReplyDeleteFirst we get the "breaking news" that the GOP Convention types have opened free Facebook and Twitter accounts.
ReplyDeleteNow we get the "breaking news" that Jermaine Reed held a press conference in the cold.
Please, Tony.
Jermaine will win his election with this effort.
ReplyDeleteCan felons vote?
ReplyDeleteCouncil folks better support this or they'll lose the felon vote. Oh, wait...
ReplyDeleteSo has anyone thought this all the way through? If this becomes the norm a pedophile could apply and gain employment working with kids? This does not seem like a good idea
ReplyDeleteLet's just get rid of the box that asks if you are a felon and replace it with one that asks if you are black.
ReplyDeleteGlad to see Councilman Brooks, out in this weather. By the way, did he happen to mention the whereabouts of the $15,000.00???? No, we humans didn't think so..
ReplyDeleteWhat a joke!
ReplyDeleteWhy did we elect these fools?
This is the best they can do?
We need to address the real problems and not just make life easier for their friends to get cushy jobs at City Hall.
This is a disgrace.
They hire their felon friends now.
ReplyDeleteAs H L Mencken said, For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong.
Joe Coors wouldn't hire anyone but ex-cons. He found them to be good workers who appreciated the opportunity to work a good job. He also payed less than other breweries but more than they would have gotten elsewhere.
Right on Jermaine!
ReplyDeleteLolz on 11:43!
ReplyDeleteLuckily we employers can usually tell that by the name. Round filed!
When was the last time EITHER of these Councilmen stood on the cold to console the victims of crime or their loved ones?
ReplyDelete"If this becomes the norm a pedophile could apply and gain employment working with kids?"
ReplyDeleteAnybody offering a job -- paying or volunteer -- that involves working with kids should be doing a background check before hiring, regardless of whether there is a box to check on the initial application form.
And anybody applying for such a job should know they will undergo such a background check.
And even the most cursory check will turn up a conviction for a sex crime.
We got a lot bigger problems in KCMO other than should there be more crooks on the City payroll.
ReplyDeleteThe credit should go to Mickey Deans office,they are the ones that did all the work.
ReplyDeleteThis town gets more and more stupid everyday....
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteBirds of a feather...
Who is this Jermaine Reed?
ReplyDeleteI like the cut of his jib.
That's right so now instead of getting tossed b/c you were honest and knowing why you were tossed, you can get tossed after they get the background check and you get your hopes up. Come on down to Killa City folks they have a lot of delusions to sell you if you're stupid enough to believe them. Oh wait - does this mean we need the newsies to check out if they are really running background checks maybe that's the REAL story Tony. Hummmmmm.....
ReplyDeleteThat's right throw 'em another bone. While they're busy fighting over that they won't notice how they're really getting fucked. Wake up people!
ReplyDeleteRight. Let's get all teary-eyed over a convicted sex offender who couldn't pass a background check and didn't get a job working with kids.
ReplyDeleteLook, if you apply for a job that involves kids in any way, EXPECT the background check.
Yeah, let's tell kids, a felony on your record is no big deal.
ReplyDeleteWith this much unemployment, are we seriously suggesting that we can not find people to fill these jobs who have not committed a crime?
ReplyDeleteThis is the same mentality of the school board who sees itself as an employment agency.
The public sector should not lower the bar any further than it already has.
Time to vote each of the council people who support this ordinance out of office!!
ReplyDeleteDELETE THUS - DELETE THUS - DOES THAT MAKE IT EASIER MR FREE SPEECH??????
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