Give Gov. Phil Bryant credit for tackling a difficult and now embarrassing issue for his administration: sexual harassment and sexual discrimination.
Bryant, in a recent interview with The Clarion-Ledger of Jackson, said he is going to try to put an end to sexist behavior in state government, and if any men out there don’t get with the program, they had better prepare for a career change.
Bryant’s strong remarks came following disclosures that Mississippi has settled two gender-based lawsuits this year. One cost taxpayers $75,000 after a former agency head, Rusty Barnes at the Department of Homeland Security, allegedly passed over a female assistant for promotion because of her gender and then retaliated when she complained.
The payout on the other was $25,000 after a female employee alleged she had been sexually harassed by Mike Perkins, the former deputy director of the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics. Both Barnes and Perkins have retired since the settlements were reached.
In an effort to be proactive, Bryant said the state is developing an online test to deter any behavior or attitude that might lead to sexual harassment or discrimination.
Given the “good ole boy” network that has historically dominated state government, there is apparently a need for some serious sensitivity training as to what’s appropriate for male supervisors to say and do around female colleagues.
In addition, women who feel they have been mistreated need to know there’s a higher-up to whom they can complain, that their complaint will be taken seriously and investigated — and that they won’t be punished for speaking out.
The cloak of secrecy also needs to be removed when litigation results. Both of these settlements were initially sealed, so taxpayers didn’t know for months what the complaints had cost them. Attorney General Jim Hood says such secrecy is not legal, and Bryant says he also is for full disclosure.
Getting the facts out about what comes of these cases is fair to both sides. It exposes both complaints with merit and those without. It can also deter future misconduct. If supervisors learn how others got in trouble, they are more likely to avoid doing the same.
Tim Kalich, Greenwood Commonwealth
