Prompt 8

Illustration of the Problem:

How would you like to be fired from your job because of your hair style, yet you were never told the restrictions? That is exactly what happened to several African American employees at Six Flags America in Largo, Maryland. Their managers approached them one day and told them that their hairstyles were inappropriate. The employees suggested that the employee handbook is biased against African Americans and that the managers said they wanted an ‘all-American’ look. The general manager, Terry Prather, claimed that yes the guidelines were not strictly enforced but Six Flags tell their employees that the company has been in business for a long time and they want standards. Mr. Prather claims the problem was that the park had a management switch so the rules did not transfer over to the new employees, such as the ones in this case. Mr. Prather also stated that he has not spoke to his management team yet about the guidelines and how they should be enforced, but he plans to. Without proper instructions, the employees cannot possibly know the ‘standards’. With these standards in place, the park employees are not allowed self-expression.