Minimum of 500 Words - July 2022 Weekly Discussion

Discrimination

Read and discuss what you think happened in the case. 

Eule Ford was a police officer with the City of Pagedale, Missouri, Police Department. After working there for four years, he was appointed Pagedale's Acting Chief of Police. One year later, Leatrice Dowd was appointed Mayor and Alvin Wilson succeeded Ford as Permanent Chief of Police. 

Ford and Dowd did not have a good relationship; Dowd instituted disciplinary proceedings against him and fired him on several occasions (but the Pagedale Board overturned the decisions each time). After Dowd heard a rumor that Ford was associating with a reputed drug dealer, she ordered that Ford undergo urine analysis testing and told him that failure to comply would result in serious disciplinary actions. The Order requiring the testing stated that Dowd understood this rumor to mean that Ford was involved in "some type of illegal drug use and/or abuse." Ford complied with her order and all tests were found to be negative. However, Dowd's Order remained in Ford's personnel file. When he later left the Department and sought work elsewhere, he was unable to find employment as a result of this Order in his file. Ford filed suit claiming damages as a result of the City's wrongful and vengeful testing program. Ford V. Dowd, 931 F.2d 1286 (8th Cir. 1991).