Yesterday, a federal judge temporarily barred the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) from hiring rookie firefighters, because the department used what the court called an exam that discriminates against blacks and Hispanics.
Three years ago, the Department of Justice (DOJ) under George W. Bush filed suit against the FDNY for violating the Civil Rights Act. The FDNY requires all candidates seeking employment, regardless of race, to take an exam that assesses “reading comprehension, problem solving, spatial recognition and applying rules to general concepts.” Blacks disproportionately scored lower on the test than other candidates. Among other things, the DOJ said the department’s “SAT-like questions” didn’t measure an applicant’s firefighting ability.
Last summer, a federal judge ruled that the FDNY discriminated against blacks and Hispanics with an exam used in 1999 and 2002. Earlier this year, the same judge ruled that New York City intentionally discriminated against minorities by continuing to use the exam.
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