DEARBORN – Mayor John O’Reilly Jr. condemned an offensive slur used in a comment on the WXYZ Channel 7 Facebook page and attributed to a part-time city employee, and directed multiple city departments to immediately investigate the source of the remark.
The results of the investigation, which the Police Department began over the weekend, will determine what action is taken, O’Reilly said.
The comment being investigated was posted in reaction to a news story about a Muslim model appearing in the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition wearing a hijab and burkini.
The comment was not posted during city business hours, but its content is in opposition to the city’s mission statement.
“I have zero tolerance for the type of language used in the Facebook comment,” O’Reilly said.
“The comment violates the city of Dearborn’s values and practices, as well as our expectations for employees. It violates the very heart of our mission statement, which is that we must earn the public’s trust in everything we do.”
The city provides employee training addressing discrimination, sexual harassment and cultural sensitivity.
The city requires that all employees treat people of all backgrounds with respect. That expectation carries over into employees’ behavior off hours, when, under certain situations, their actions can be considered a reflection on the city of Dearborn.
“We are extremely proud of our diversity and consider it a strength and an advantage,” O’Reilly said. “So we will continue to nurture it and to condemn words or actions that attempt to divide us.”