KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Workers past and present at a North Kansas City call center say they are outraged after a racist sign appeared in the work place.
The sign was found early Monday morning by a janitor at Johnson Controls on 97th and Terrace.
Acts like this are the very reason so many people say they are protesting and supporting the Black Lives Matter movement.
Hurtful and disappointing is how Aquaye Shelby described the image of a sign targeting black people found inside the women’s bathroom of Johnson Controls.
“Some people might not take it as serious as others but that is hurtful,” Shelby said. “As us being African American people, we already have things we have to deal with.”
The sign reads “colored only” with a downward pointing arrow.
Pictures of the handwritten sign quickly spread online. It was written on white paper with black ink and placed in front of a sink workers say has been broken for months.
Shelby said the message is like a smack in the face.
“They probably have friends behind them who think it’s funny,” she said. “It’s really not a joke. It’s a serious matter.”
That’s something a company spokesperson says he agrees with. In a statement to FOX4 the spokesperson for Johnson Controls said they are horrified and outraged by the display, calling it racist. They go on to say they are investigating the incident in order to find out who is responsible.
Meanwhile the CEO of Johnson Controls, George Oliver, is using this time to discuss racism and social injustice in a video that was sent to all employees.
But Shelby said she’s speaking for many of the workers there who want to see action.
“But nine times out of 10, they are not going to step up because they don’t want to lose their job,” she said.
She still hopes the person responsible will come forward.
Managers at the site are currently holding interviews, talking to employees about the incident and tracking down the person responsible.
If anything, hope this is a learning opportunity for everyone.
