Employees accuse Planned Parenthood of racism, file claims with employment commission

Los Angeles, Calif., Aug 19, 2004 / 22:00 pm

Planned Parenthood of Los Angeles is the subject of multiple complaints of racism, filed with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, reports the Pro-Family Law Center.

Afro-American and Latino employees filed the formal complaints. Specifically, several male employees allege that Planned Parenthood is controlled by white women, who have created a hostile environment for male and minority employees.

According to one affidavit, a management employee of Planned Parenthood “used the word ‘nigger’ directed to me. I am African and was shocked by her cultural insensitivity. I immediately placed my concerns in writing and requested disciplinary action with the human resources department at PPLA. Nothing ever happened to my complaint. In fact, I was later put on probation by a female supervisor and then terminated. . . . there appeared to be a damaging anti-male bias in the organization.”

According to another statement, from a female PPLA contractor, responsible for ensuring compliance with EEOC regulations, “[a corporate officer] initiated an investigation on the occasion of one of his employees being called a ‘nigger’ and he was prevented from finishing this investigation. The perpetrator of this ethnic slur . . . was never punished for this action.”

This statement also says that Planned Parenthood posters, which are displayed throughout the office, show males as irresponsible. For example, one shows an African American leaving his child abandoned in the middle of an apartment. Planned Parenthood had postings criticizing President George Bush. As a nonprofit organization, Planned Parenthood is legally required to avoid political activity.

Richard D. Ackerman, the lead attorney for two claimants, said: “This is a really sad state of affairs. It is unfortunate to find out that PPLA, as a self-proclaimed promoter of ‘tolerance and diversity,’ is engaging in what appears to be the most primitive form of hate against its own employees.” Ackerman has invited the ACLU and NAACP to become involved in the case.

Reverend Clenard Childress, Jr., of Life Education and Resource Network says he is not surprised at Planned Parenthood’s degrading and discriminatory remarks toward its employees. “This demeanor is indicative of its founder Margaret Sanger, whose comments regarding minorities often parallel these racist and bigoted slurs,” he said.

Mark Crutcher of Texas-based Life Dynamics, Inc., agrees. “As revolting as these revelations about Planned Parenthood are, no one should be surprised by them,” said Crutcher. “After all, the organization was started by an admitted eugenicist, whose stated goal was to create what she called ‘a race of thoroughbreds.’

“And don’t be so naïve to think that the ‘thoroughbreds’ she was talking about included anyone other than ‘white n’ wealthy’. The fact is Planned Parenthood’s racist agenda has never been any different than that of the Nazis or the Klan,” Crutcher claimed. “That they regard their employees with the same sleazy attitude that they have always held toward the general minority population is hardly unexpected.”