A White Baltimore arts executive was fired in September from the Baltimore Rock Opera Society after backlash over her decision to wear cornrows following a trip to Burning Man.
Attorney Jeremy Eldridge said the circumstances of the firing of Kelly Carnes could raise discrimination questions under Maryland’s CROWN Act. Eldridge said the organization’s public statements about Carnes’ hairstyle could become relevant evidence if she challenges her dismissal.
“Had the Baltimore Rock Opera simply separated from this individual without providing a discriminatory reason, the timeline would be all of the evidence that the fired employee would have,” he told WBFF Fox45 Baltimore. “But here, when you’re making comments publicly that lean into the discriminatory allegation made by the fired employees, that itself could be evidence of the fact that you were terminated wrongfully, meaning that it’s discrimination under the CROWN.”…