AT&T has confirmed that the company fired Aaron Slator, the president of content and advertising sales, for sending discriminatory images from his work phone. Slator is now facing a $100 million discrimination lawsuit, filed on Monday, April 27, by Knoyme King, a 50-year-old black employee at AT&T.
The discrimination charges came against Slator following a data transfer to a new handset. An assistant moving images from his old phone found one picturing an African child dancing with the caption, "It's Friday N****s." Slator had allegedly sent the photo as a text message, describing it as an "oldie but a goodie."
"Slator harbors obvious and deep-seated racial animus toward African Americans," read the lawsuit. It added that Slator's decisions on hiring, firing, raises and promotions are all "infected" by the executive's racist views.
Filed in the Los Angeles Superior Court, the case named Aaron Slator, AT&T, CEO Randall Stephenson, other company executives and board member Joyce Roche as the defendants of the case.
Louis Miller, King's lawyer, said that Slator's termination will not in any way change their decision to file a lawsuit.
"If anything, it's an admission of liability. It proves we're right, that it all happened," said Miller.
Miller added that the lawsuit involves more serious circumstances that made them decide to push through with the filing. It's not a simple case involving a single poor decision or an executive who misbehaved.
As Miller said, "the issues in this case are age, race and gender discrimination, and they don't stop with Aaron Slator."
The lawsuit also asserts that while the company had previously received reports of the images and issues, they were brushed aside. Furthermore, the lawsuit alleges that while King has worked at AT&T for 30 years, she was never promoted and she received inferior raises because of her race. King asserts that she was mistreated at the company and attempts were made to pressure her into leaving.
"There is no place for demeaning behavior within AT&T, and we regret the action was not taken earlier," the company said in a statement.
Photo: Mike Mozart I Flickr
