[grc] FW: NEWS RELEASE: KKFI, Kansas City In Violation of By-Laws

[Sharon Lockhart]

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From:  KKFIFour <kkfifour at gmail.com <mailto:kkfifour at gmail.com> >
Date: Thu, Nov 22, 2018 at 8:07 PM
Subject: NEWS  RELEASE: KKFI Refuses to Follow By Laws
To: <jbhargava at shawneedispatch.com <mailto:jbhargava at shawneedispatch.com> >

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Kansas City, MO 

November 20, 2018

                                                                                                                                                                                                                        CONTACT: Amy Bell

                                                                                                                                                                                               PHONE: 913 908 7914

                                                                                                                                                                                              EMAIL:  <mailto:KKFIFour at gmail.com> KKFIFour at gmail.com

 

KKFI Refuses To Follow By-Laws 

 

Since January 23, 2018, Sharon Lockhart and three others have been trying to get KKFI to follow its due process rules.  Rather than follow its own rules, KKFI (Mid-Coast Radio Project, Inc.)  has resorted to allegations that Sharon Lockhart and the others were “discriminating against white men,” a call seemingly borrowed from the alt right.  KKFI then scrambled to revise its By-laws and again failed to follow proper procedure in that endeavor.       

 

The KKFI grievance committee refused to hear the grievance of the group of four people regarding station process and policy.   As an alternative, Ms. Lockhart and the three other volunteer members offered to submit to an objective process with an outside mediator.   Instead of agreeing to a reasonable process or engaging in civil discourse, KKFI accused Ms. Lockhart and the other three of “discriminating against white men.”  This tactic, which also included a campaign of personal destruction against Ms. Lockhart, is a strong-arm course of conduct that should not be tolerated in a so- called community radio station.         

 

Ms. Lockhart is a producer and host of the Every Woman show.  She has a KKFI volunteer track record of 23 years.   With no violation of any standard or rule, she was suspended from her show and all volunteer committee work.  Ms. Lockhart is no ordinary volunteer, she has single handedly saved KKFI thousands of dollars over the years while serving on the board and various committees.  

 

Ms. Lockhart’s ouster occurred without any due process and with no one hearing her side of a disagreement that occurred or the course of events.  KKFI will not provide due process or even acknowledge that the other two women that worked on the show also have a grievance because of certain actors at KKFI.   

 

Also joined in the grievance is a black man who was suspended because KKFI management allegedly found him “scary and dangerous.”  Indeed, KKFI management threatened to call police if the man of color entered the station again and he has been expelled from the station completely.   His expulsion, without due process, was based upon an overheard conversation.  Not one ounce of investigation has been put into the expulsion and the two parties to the conversation have been in each other company many times since the racist overreaction of KKFI.    

 

In the past, it has been a usual practice for the Grievance Committee, the KKFI Board, and management to refuse to hear grievances filed by members.  This is apparently the first time they have been challenged.  Most members recognize the cost of standing up and speaking out is to lose their spot on the air.  In this way many past board and committee members have had to keep their heads down to keep their show.  The four grievants are now paying the price and the community should rally behind them to prevent this injustice.  

 

KKFI decided that rather than follow the process outlined in its By-laws, it first stonewalled for weeks.  Then it denied the grievance outright, and then determined that it got to pick and choose what grievance it would hear rather than the one that was put forward.  A campaign of personal attacks were also lodged against Ms. Lockhart.  She has been insulted publicly in a number of different ways that are commonly used to keep older women in their place, including, being called “abusive” and “vile.” KKFI made spurious allegations that Ms. Lockhart wanted to “take the station down” and that she was a “bully.”  

 

After an appeal to the board, KKFI has given Ms. Lockhart an ultimatum that it will only hear her grievance but not the grievance of the other three people in the group as a whole grievance.  KKFI has no reasoning for separating the group and failing to provide due process to the other three individuals.   It has said that it will allow the other three to participate as “witnesses” but they can only address the committee for 5 minutes and cannot be in the room for the whole presentation. 

 

Prior to this latest twist, KKFI had agreed to go to an outside mediation but backed out of that promise because KKFI would not agree to the outside mediators the Grievants proposed (including two white men and a white woman). KKFI insisted on a single mediator it proposed.  However, he lacked corporate experience and KKFI would not propose another mediator.  KKFI then made horrible allegation that the grievants were “discriminating against white men” because it rejected the proposed mediator.    The Grievants’ lawyer demanded a retraction of such a statement and, recognizing that it had crossed a line, KKFI withdrew the statement. 

 

KKFI claims to be a community radio station dedicated to giving a platform to diverse voices across the Kansas City area.  It appears that this does not include the voices and opinions of strong women and black men.   KKFI pretends that it operates fairly but apparently not when it is intent upon ridding itself of those who ask questions, and those who insist on fair play, ethical actions, and accountability.  The public and other members should expect more of a publicly funded and donor supported non-profit radio station and tax- free institution.         

 

To request that KKFI hear the Grievance of the KKFI Four, as written,   in a fair, transparent, and open setting, Call KKFI at 816 931-3122. Non-Profits owe accountability to public donors.

 

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If you would like more information about this topic, please call Amy Bell 913 908 7914

 or Email: KKFIFour at gmail.com <mailto:KKFIFour at gmail.com> .