An African American employee was repeatedly subjected to racist comments and actions by both patients and staff at the Vermont Psychiatric Care Hospital, according to a state Human Rights Commission report.
Ismina Francois, a mental health specialist, made repeated complaints about the widespread use of racial slurs and racial insensitivities at the facility in Berlin but a culture of intolerance persisted, a commission investigator found.
For example — despite Francois’ prior complaints — a hospital staffer assigned her to care for a racist patient with a swastika tattoo who had previously lunged at Francois and yelled “get that nigger away from me.”
Traveling nurses who worked temporary stints at the hospital reported being surprised at how often patients used racial slurs. And other employees used terms like “nappy hair,” “hood car,” “fried chicken,” “colored people” and speculated about Francois being on “welfare,” according to the report.
“A reasonable person could conclude that the offensive jokes, slurs, epithets, name calling, insults and put-downs by patients and coworkers were pervasive,” Human Rights Commission investigator Bor Yang wrote in the 35-page report finalized in January.
The commission ruled in a 5-0 vote on January 25 that “reasonable grounds” existed to find the Department of Mental Health discriminated against Francois.
The commission suggested Francois and the state take three months to try to settle. Francois could also pursue a lawsuit.
Francois, a single mother to two children, remains on the job, according to her attorney, Robert Appel. Francois, a Barre resident, was hired in May 2014 to work in the 25-bed facility, which treats involuntarily committed patients who have psychiatric disorders.
“She is trying to achieve a workplace that is safe and welcoming for her and for others who look like her,” said Appel, a former executive director of the Human Rights Commission. “She is a professional; she does her work well.”
Melissa Bailey, the Department of Mental Health commissioner, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Another black employee, Tim McCants, said he had been assigned to “many racist patients who say ‘nigger’ continuously,” according to the report. On one occasion, he asked for a new assignment but was refused.
The hospital had been previously warned about racism. As far back as 2007, McCants said he found “Nigger” written on his windshield. He complained to a supervisor but nothing more was done. Other employees frequently used the term “nigger” and called him “chocolate boy,” “the little black man,” or “little Bill,” for Bill Cosby, according to the report.
Black staff members were routinely mistaken for one another by white coworkers, the investigation revealed.
Francois complained to superiors about many of these incidents, but little came of it, Yang found. Word spread in some quarters of the hospital that Francois “plays the race card,” according to the report.
An October 2016 human resources training designed to address the racism inside the hospital was “uninspiring” and failed to fix the problem, Yang wrote.
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This is horrible. My heart goes out to the people of color who have to deal with this abuse in order to keep their jobs. White Vermonters, it’s past time for us to do better.
I am not surprised by this at all. The kind of people who congregated around the Vermont State Hospital and now this new facility have been like this for generations. They are racists and bigots and most of all mysogynists. Take this investigation one step further and you will find that almost every woman admitted to this facility has been raped, abused or harassed either by staff or patients.
Francois is a woman of great courage to stand up for racial justice. We must stand with her and join our voices for racial justice.
when did allegations become a representation of reality?
when does an “investigation” by a social justice worker on behalf of an inherently biased committee become completely irrelevant as a result of implicit bias?
these are all unfounded allegations. we have NO PROOF of any worngdoing
OF COURSE Bor Yang found what she was looking for. Its her job. Eveerything is a nail to her as she has been issued a hammer by the state.
what these people need is reality training. Perhaps many would realize they are not fit for this job
and boo hoo- you were insulted in an INSANE ASYLUM
perhaps its because the patients are INSANE?
ya know- the whole reason they are residing there…
if you don’t want to have a hostile workplace- then perhaps DONT work in an INSANE ASYLUM?
I mean- what did they expect?
the state is being TROLLED by this leftist agenda
wake up people
as for the food issue- I will remember to report any minority eating crackers around me. we all know that is done with racist intent..just like eating fried chicken…
I read the report and came across another African American lady (top of 15th page) who has been trying to get justice for several years. Mary, I hope that this opens the door for you to get the justice that you deserve.
Snow Creek, I’d suggest that you read the report too but I’m not sure that you understand what the Human Rights Commission is, as of yet.
I am appalled but not surprised. Vermont Psychiatric Hospital has created a toxic environment for its non-White employees and they need to be held accountable. No one should be subject to this type of treatment. Shame on its HR for allowing this abusive and very racist behavior to fester.
“Snow Creek, I’d suggest that you read the report too but I’m not sure that you understand what the Human Rights Commission is, as of yet..”
its quite obvious the Human Rights Commission themselves have no idea what they are. It seems they feel they are some quasi judicial force with the power to destroy peoples careers over alleged incidents that they have no proof of occurring. Currently they are slandering the state hospital employees with their clearly biased opinions. And frankly- the lawyer of the alleged victim- is himself in conflict of interest- as he is the former head of the Human Rights Commission
Its troubling that many Vermonters do not have the intellect to understand that this commission holds no legal weight. Even more troubling is that we have a leftist political group acting as a tool of the democratic party to enforce an inherently biased agenda
whats next- Unsanitary conditions at the sewer plant?
this is just absurd
and you people are too afraid to defend our state from these biased attacks
It’s not just at the new mental facility. My sister works for the state and after repeatedly going to her supervisor about the racial comments a former coworker kept making they did nothing so she got the union involved. All they did was assign the person to a different floor and dept.
This state has more racists then you know and this was before trump.