It’s nice to see that sometimes rational thought and common sense can prevail when it comes to a municipal dispute.
That seems to be the case in Chester, where a controversy over a decal of a U.S. flag affixed to a firefighter’s locker resulted in the suspension of a union member – and some national publicity.
Last summer the city’s fire commissioner issued a policy that banned all decorations on lockers. But the edict only started to be enforced last week when some firefighters complained about a cartoon that was being displayed on one locker. Some intimated it had negative racial overtones.
The story had all the elements of a classic municipal standoff: First Amendment free speech rights, union vs. management issues, even some racial overtones.
Add in the U.S. flag and you are bound to attract a lot of attention.
Fire Commissioner Jim Johnson decided to stem the issue by enforcing the policy of eliminating all such items on lockers. Firefighter and union member Jim Krapf complied – except for the U.S. flag decal on his locker. He refused to remove it. He was promptly suspended two days last week.
When word hit the media that a city firefighter was suspended for refusing to remove the flag decal, the issue suddenly started drawing interest from all over.
Yesterday, as a meeting was scheduled betweeen Krapf and city officials, a group of about 40 pro-flag protesters showed up to show their support for the firefighter – and Old Glory.
Not surprising.
It appears the city relented. Krapf can keep the decal of the flag on his locker. He was reinstated to his job and returns to work on Thursday.
The flag was granted an exception to the policy banning such displays on lockers.
Johnson said his policy would be tweaked to allow for the proper display of the flag decal.
If it’s one thing that city officials are routinely criticized for, it’s not being flexible.
Clearly, the policy of trying to restrict what can and can’t adorn lockers is a good one, in its broadest terms.
But when that policy extends to a decal of the U.S. flag, especially in these times, the city is asking for trouble.
Johnson made the right call in flagging his all-inclusive policy.
That seems to be the case in Chester, where a controversy over a decal of a U.S. flag affixed to a firefighter’s locker resulted in the suspension of a union member – and some national publicity.
Last summer the city’s fire commissioner issued a policy that banned all decorations on lockers. But the edict only started to be enforced last week when some firefighters complained about a cartoon that was being displayed on one locker. Some intimated it had negative racial overtones.
The story had all the elements of a classic municipal standoff: First Amendment free speech rights, union vs. management issues, even some racial overtones.
Add in the U.S. flag and you are bound to attract a lot of attention.
Fire Commissioner Jim Johnson decided to stem the issue by enforcing the policy of eliminating all such items on lockers. Firefighter and union member Jim Krapf complied – except for the U.S. flag decal on his locker. He refused to remove it. He was promptly suspended two days last week.
When word hit the media that a city firefighter was suspended for refusing to remove the flag decal, the issue suddenly started drawing interest from all over.
Yesterday, as a meeting was scheduled betweeen Krapf and city officials, a group of about 40 pro-flag protesters showed up to show their support for the firefighter – and Old Glory.
Not surprising.
It appears the city relented. Krapf can keep the decal of the flag on his locker. He was reinstated to his job and returns to work on Thursday.
The flag was granted an exception to the policy banning such displays on lockers.
Johnson said his policy would be tweaked to allow for the proper display of the flag decal.
If it’s one thing that city officials are routinely criticized for, it’s not being flexible.
Clearly, the policy of trying to restrict what can and can’t adorn lockers is a good one, in its broadest terms.
But when that policy extends to a decal of the U.S. flag, especially in these times, the city is asking for trouble.
Johnson made the right call in flagging his all-inclusive policy.
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