CEO DATELINE - Library group apologizes for alleged racial harassment
CEO DATELINE - Library group apologizes for alleged racial harassment
- February 1, 2019 |
-
CEO Update
Feb. 1, 2019
By Martin Berman-Gorvine
Consider joining CEO Update. Membership gives full access to the latest intelligence on association management, career advancement, compensation trends and networking events, as well as hundreds of listings for senior-level association jobs.
The American Library Association has issued an apology for an alleged incident of racial harassment during its Midwinter Meeting & Exhibits, held Jan. 25-29 in Seattle. A member of the Council, ALA's governing body, has resigned in connection with the incident.
In a Jan. 30 blog post, ALA Councilor April Hathcock, who is African-American, wrote, "During Council Forum, a small, informal discussion session for ALA Council and general ALA membership, a fellow councilor, a white man, verbally attacked me." After she complained, Hathcock wrote that ALA's legal counsel met with her and tried intimidate her into not discussing the incident on social media.
The news site Inside Higher Ed reported that the situation prompted debate among fellow librarians about conduct at ALA meetings and how committed the association is to addressing diversity and inclusion. https://bit.ly/2G119Vq
ALA issued a public statement Jan. 31 saying, "We send our sincere apologies to Councilor April Hathcock for what she went through at Council Forum, which is unacceptable and doesn't align with our core values." The statement said that when the association's attorney and president-elect met with Hathcock after the incident "it was not intent of the attorney or ALA to threaten Ms. Hathcock in any way. The Councilor who instigated the incident has resigned and the Executive Board has accepted his resignation."
ALA also said its executive board will form a working group to examine the Council Forum and ways to make it a safer space and that it would review its code of conduct complaint process, and that it would institute "facilitated racial equity training" during the group's annual conference. The association also promised to strengthen online and in-person resources on equity, diversity and inclusion for all members and staff. https://bit.ly/2S6AJbz
MORE CEO DATELINE