AT&T Keeps Raking In The Good Publicity

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A former Kansas City woman who converted to Islam in 2005 said she was harassed for years at AT&T, and that the abuse boiled over in 2008 when her boss snatched her head scarf and exposed her hair.

A Jackson County jury on Thursday awarded Susann Bashir $5 million in punitive damages in her discrimination lawsuit, along with $120,000 in lost wages and other actual damages.

The Kansas City Star (http://bit.ly/JKWbqR ) reported Saturday the award appears to be the largest jury verdict for a workplace discrimination case in Missouri history.

This sort of thing doesn't go on, and go on for years, without the actual assistance of the business.  Missouri caps what Bashir will actually collect (yay for protecting those people versus businesses, am I right??) but it sets a standard in a state that often refuses to allow people religious or personal freedom.

Her boss snatched her head scarf off of her head.  Not only is that a religious issue, but I'm pretty damn sure it's beyond acceptable behavior even beyond the religious angle.

Maybe this is why we're having a hard time teaching kids that there is a better way than bullying.  Ya think?