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Meteorologist Fired After Explaining Ethnic Hair

She broke station's policy defending herself on Facebook

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by Mary Noble

Senior Editor t

Image: screenshot

Rhonda Lee, a KTBS weather anchor, is on the receiving end of an internet storm she didn't foresee. She was allegedly fired for a Facebook post explaining her choice of hairstyle, and the story has since gone viral.

A KTBS viewer named Emmitt Vascocu posted on the station's Facebook page: "the black lady that does the news is a very nice lady. the only thing is she needs to wear a wig or grow some more hair. im not sure if she is a cancer patient. but still its not something myself that i think looks good on tv. what about letting someone a male have waist long hair do the news..."

Lee replied,

Hello Emmitt - I am the 'black lady' to which you are referring. I'm sorry you don't like my ethnic hair. And no I don't have cancer...I am very proud of my African-American ancestry which includes my hair. For your edification: traditionally our hair doesn't grow downward. It grows upward. Many Black women use strong straightening agents in order to achieve a more European grade of hair and that is their choice. However in my case I don't find it necessary. I'm very proud of who I am and the standard of beauty I display. Women come in all shapes, sizes, nationalities, and levels of beauty. Showing little girls that being comfortable in the skin and HAIR God gave me is my contribution to society. Little girls (and boys for that matter) need to see that what you look like isn't a reason to not achieve their goals.
Conforming to one standard isn't what being American is about and I hope you can embrace that. Thank you for your comment and have a great weekend and thanks for watching.

KTBS, an ABC affiliate based in Louisiana, states that Lee was fired because she repeatedly violated their social media policy. They reference another post she made defending the ethnically-diverse choice of child participants in the station's "Three Minute Smile" contest.

Lee counterclaims that she did not know their policy, since it was mentioned only once, at a meeting she didn't attend, but the station asserts that the policy had been sent out via email to all employees.

Via the Blaze and Mediaite.
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Do you think Lee deserved to be fired for her comments on Facebook?

Comments (view in Forum)

  • Neo_NtheMatrix
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    If Rhonda Lee knew the station's policy, and she probably did, then she was rightfully fired for willfully ignoring that policy. Could you imagine if it had been someone else who jumped onto the station's Facebook page and made similar statements but only about different cultures? It's not the time and place for that. I say the station made the right call.
  • MBernard
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    @srs606791163 that's exactly what I went for. When everybody keep saying that there's more to this story. But then, I ask myself, it couldn't have been racism, I mean, they wouldn't hire her in the first place, right?

  • View all 32 replies >

  • Fishbone345
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    Like the Healthcare people that post on their Facebook information about patients. Blatantly ignoring HIPAA. Jebus, we get talked to like yearly about what it means and refers to. How someone can be so damn dumb to ignore it is beyond me.
  • jessejaymes
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    I don't find her hair particularly attractive but she might not find mine anymore so. Her response was measured and reasonable. I think this is much ado about something that should have been nothing. Station is wrong.
  • Keyjo
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    Based solely on these comments, I'd say, "no." Her comments were well reasoned and polite and with class.
    There has to be more to the story than this.
  • ACTSmom
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    No! Too bad they don't have a 'due process' form of disciplinary action. If this was her first offense of violating the code of conduct or whatever, she should have received a lesser penalty than being fired. How about a written reprimand first? I just think this is excessive for a facebook post that was really very nice.
  • mudpike
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    No . She has the right to wear her hair as she sees fit. She is an attractive lady & this just proves how freakin ridiculous the liberal idiots have allowed this 'political correctness ' nonsense to morph into . Comes back to bite ya'll in the ass - don't it .
  • o
    Sonny
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    Well first of all it is not necessary to call anyone an "idiot"....Secondly, I don't know how this became the fault of "liberals"...I think you are seriously grasping for straws on this one, just to continue this partisan warfare nonsense..
  • Keyjo
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    Yeah, if anything, I'd guess it to be more of a conservative agenda type of thing.
    She ain't male and she ain't White and she expressed herself succinctly: she's gotta go!
  • CanisCanemEdit
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    From what I get out of this, she talked down to a viewer in a public forum. I wonder if the viewer complained.

    Also is the story saying this was her second violation of the same type? If so, wouldn't she have been informed on the first one?

    I can't say yes or no...I think there is more to the story.
  • o
    Sonny
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    NO, Not based on what she was alleged to have said in this story!!! If this is what she was terminated for, then I sure as hell she sues the station for "wrongful termination". That was ridiculous. She was actually quite professional and eloquent in her response to an obviously ignorant person.....She should have been commended for her response NOT fired!
  • jessejaymes
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    You have no idea how trite that expression " a proud black woman" has become. This may well have been a case of almost anything that we don't know about. She may be a diva and nobody liked her. Or it may be racism or it may be almost anything. It probably isn't the reason given since it rarely is in business. But could you just give that "proud black woman" label a rest? You don't know her. You don't know if she's proud or a dominatrix on the side. Why can't we get past cliches in this country?
  • jessejaymes
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    @jessejaymes Recently while leaving the mall I witnessed security (one black man and one white woman) stopping a grossly obese black woman for stealing. As I stood and watched the woman went on a tirade about racism and her being a "proud black woman". This episode of a black woman yelling at the top of her voice about being a proud black woman happens almost with exception when a black woman is being held responsible for something she has done or not done. I know literally dozens of successful black women in Southern California who I have never once heard use that phrase. They pin their success on their ability and accomplishment. The Phrase proud black woman is only heard within the world of the ghetto out here. And almost always by someone who is neither proud nor defensible. Before a moderator takes this down and before someone comes screaming in my face I would like to ask all concerned, how would you view a white woman screaming in people's faces about being a "proud white woman?" or an Asian woman doing the same? Or a Latina? Most would view it as the woman being racist against other races of women. As do I,
  • NormalFlora
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    @jessejaymes Yes, I know what you're saying, but in this case we have the EXACT transcript of what was said and, unlike your stated examples, qualifies as a true (and valid) "Proud Black Woman" response.
  • jessejaymes
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    @NormalFlora No Flora it qualifies as a measured and responsible, articulate response and as I stated previously I think the station is wrong. But it has nothing to do with the ghetto rant "proud black woman". ANY person of any race or gender fired for something as civilized as her response should have recourse against wrongful termination. It has nothing to do with her being a "proud black woman". I think it's time that we get past the racial excuses and attacks and get down to it. I think she's probably a "proud professionals". And I think you cheapen her with your phrase.
  • u
    Realthinker
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    As I understand this situation, the issue is she replied to comments on the station's Facebook page against the station's specific policy. If that is the case, then the station is within their rights since she violated policy. Everyone has guidelines they have to follow at their workplace. That's life.
    Her hair and her hairstyle choice are her business, again so long as it doesn't violate station policy. Had she made her comments on her own Facebook page the station would have no right to censure her IMO. Personally I love wash and wear hair. I don't blame her for keeping it short and avoiding the chemicals necessary to straighten it.
  • FFX_VA
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    Fired, not based on this. Mgt should have counseled her on the policy and how she violated it, given her a copy, and documented it. This should have happened both times. If it happened a third time then fire her.
  • Fishbone345
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    No, I don't. But, then I don't know anything about her work history or possible issues in her work files.
    She is an attractive lady, the original poster is likely a troll. Perhaps even a work associate.
    Hopefully she moves on to another station and things improve for her. We could use a good weatherlady here.
  • Dan_Tien
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    The TV station may well have hired a black woman as an on-air personality in order to give the impression that they embrace ethnic diversity, but then fired her for discussing ethnic diversity in polite responses to less than polite viewer comments. It seems like a twisted policy to me.
  • Denizen_Kate
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    Is there more to this story, Politix? She didn't say anything that wasn't heartfelt and tactful. I thought she was very polite. If it had been me, my response would have been more along the lines of "what do my looks have to do with my ability to do my job, jerkwad?" But this just furthers my belief that one should never post anything true or heartfelt on Facebook or anywhere else online.
  • jessejaymes
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    There is almost always more to the story than we get online or in the news. Maybe she's a diva and they been looking for a chance to dump her. Maybe they got a new boss who's racist? Maybe this, maybe that. But you can almost bet the excuse given was not the real final straw. It most likely was the excuse but not the whole sum of the situation.
  • mimi57
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    @jessejaymes She seems like a very lovely woman. She should go over to Fox News, they'll hire her. They're
    "fair and balanced". That's a darn rare thing these days !!! LOL...(:
  • Dan_Tien
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    @mimi57 Exactly! She should go to Fox News! She would fit right in with their other black on-air personalities, like... umm... well there's.... uh... well... they have three white people with Hispanic names!
  • mimi57
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    @Dan_Tien Actually Dan, you're way off... NPR has no blacks or minorities. MSNBC has one Tamron Hall.
    Fox hired Juan Williams full time after being* fired by NPR via a text message*. He is a black man. Charles
    Paine is a black man. Harris Faulkner , Lauren Green and Angela McGlowan are all black women. Wendell
    Goler is black. Julie Banderas is Hispanic, so is Geraldo Rivera. Michelle Malkin is of Asian descent, but
    describes herself as an American... So, there you have some of the minorities, I'm not sure if there are more.

  • View all 8 replies >

  • u
    Bostic1212
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    Freedom of speech. She should be allowed to defend herself. She was not rude or unprofessional in her post. She just shared her thoughts just as the rude commenter made his.
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