Fox News
A seasoned reporter who says he was the "conservative wolf" in his Maine newsroom claims he was wrongfully fired after he wrote a harshly critical personal e-mail to a group that supports gay marriage.
Larry Grard, 58, was fired from the Morning Sentinel in Waterville, Maine on Nov. 10, less than a week after he sent an e-mail to the Human Rights Campaign after Maine voters repealed a law that would have allowed gay couples to marry.
"This is an example of what can happen when you stand up for your beliefs," Grard told FoxNews.com. "I was the lone conservative wolf in that newsroom for years and I never said a thing because nobody agreed with me. I suppose that's what conservatives have to do today — just shut up.[...]
A seasoned reporter who says he was the "conservative wolf" in his Maine newsroom claims he was wrongfully fired after he wrote a harshly critical personal e-mail to a group that supports gay marriage.
Larry Grard, 58, was fired from the Morning Sentinel in Waterville, Maine on Nov. 10, less than a week after he sent an e-mail to the Human Rights Campaign after Maine voters repealed a law that would have allowed gay couples to marry.
"This is an example of what can happen when you stand up for your beliefs," Grard told FoxNews.com. "I was the lone conservative wolf in that newsroom for years and I never said a thing because nobody agreed with me. I suppose that's what conservatives have to do today — just shut up.[...]
He should not have written a personal email from his work computer on company time. It's stealing from his employer.
ReplyDeleteIf he had written the personal email from his own computer and his own email address then he might have had a Freedom of Speech/Freedom of Religion case. But when you are at work, then you are the property/agent of your employer.
And your employer has the right to decide how you spend your time.
And in this case, if one of the conditions of the job is that you always appear impartial in public so that you can be an effective reporter, then your employer also has the right to demand that you not express your opinions publicly.
Unfortunately so many newspapers are failing that there is a glut of reporters out there. I really do not know if he will win a wrongful discharge suit.
I guess that we will see.