I couldn't disagree with you more on this! What is it about wanting to see the livelihood of somebody taken away because of something they said or wrote? Cancel culture is out of control in this country! The racial epithet that Toler used, has been used by the same players she was addressing thousands of times before! I'm sorry, I just don't agree with ruining somebodies life/career over something like this.
I understand your disagreement. A poll on the ESPN website showed that 57% of the people that took the poll also agreed she had to go. So it's not just me. If you read through this thread, you'll find several other posters are of the same opinion. More importantly, the owner of the club ALSO agreed and thought she needed to go.
I posted my thoughts. Since I'm not the owner of the Sparks, it had no effect on her retaining her job, or being terminated.
I respect your opinion. I'm always interested in reading your posts, but in THIS case, I don't agree with you.
"Several Sparks players told ESPN the speech made them feel uncomfortable and showed "total disrespect" as Toler called them "m-----f-----s" and suggested she'd replace them next year if they got swept by the Sun.
"You can't say that in 2019," one player told ESPN. Past Sparks players interviewed by ESPN said they'd heard Toler use language like that before, so they weren't shocked to hear about the nature of her speech after Game 2. "Penny is competitive," one former player said. "But it's definitely not OK to talk like that."
"Some around the team have expressed discomfort with the current environment. [Editor's note: No current or former players agreed to be identified in on-the-record comments for this story].
"I won't go back there until the culture changes," a former player said. "It's unprofessional."
"However,
no one is above criticism or feedback, and I am committed to ensuring my words consistently reflect the Sparks values of a productive and positive working environment moving forward.
I will take this as a learning opportunity and grow from this and make sure that not only myself, but my staff, team and the entire organization is cognizant of the language we use in the locker room." ~
Eric Holoman, Sparks managing partner and governor."
She had to go!! As a executive vice president and general manager,
she was held to a higher standard than her players or the other subordinates in the office. She was the face of the organization. She represented the organization at league and corporate meetings/functions. She crossed the line. Sorry, no excuses.
If you're in a position of power and leadership, and you prove to your peers and your superiors time and again that you
are not qualified to hold that position (the Peter principle), you should be removed.
People are fired everyday for something they say or write if it reflects negatively on the company/organization.
Can a company fire you for what you say on Facebook?
So the short answer is yes, in most circumstances an employer may fire you for what you write and say online and off. Jun 25, 2017
I had a government job before I retired. We had two notebook binders full of rules, regulations, policies and procedures that we were ALL expected to know and conduct (work) ourselves by.
I guarantee you, there where things mandated in black and white that an employee could not do while on duty, and/or while they were "physically"on their property. This included posting things that were in direct opposition to the department's reputation or standing in the community on social media.
I knew what those things were. Since I liked my job and wanted to keep it, I didn't engage in any restricted activity. Simple as that. I didn't feel it was in MY best interest to "test the waters".
Toler is not the first nor will she be the last executive to be terminated for something said or posted on social media. It happens in politics all the time. Remember, the ultimate decision to fire her was not mine. I merely forecasted it, and totally agree after the fact. It had to be done.