Rebecca Aguilar Case Analysis

Rebecca Aguilar Case Analysis

SUMMARY

This case entails a prestigious Latina reporter, Rebecca Aguilar, who was employed by Fox 4 News Dallas for 14 years, being suspended, and subsequently terminated from her position after a controversial interview with an elderly man and also a suggestion on her part, to the station, that they incorporate Hispanic employees into their management. The issue at hand was whether or not Aguilar was wrongfully terminated based upon her race, or if the station was justified in taking punitive action against her for her behavior in the field.

ANALYSIS

“Title VII of the Civil Rights Act bans employers from discriminating against employees or job applicants on the basis of race. Employment decisions due to stereotypes or assumptions regarding race, color or national origin; ancestry, birthplace or culture; linguistic characteristics; or surname associated with a specific national origin are prohibited. Whether the discrimination is overt or more subtle- in the form of policies that negatively affect members of a specific racial group- it is illegal.”

In analyzing the facts of the case, we will first focus on the specific details of the controversial interview, and then take into consideration some of the peripheral aspects that we feel could have had a significant influence on the outcome of the case. According to multiple sources, Aguilar interviewed an elderly man (James Walton- 70 yrs.) in the parking lot of an Academy sporting goods store. The man had, in the past 3 weeks, shot and killed two individuals who were trespassing in his scrap yard. It was reported that the man had informed Aguilar that he would be at the Academy store, so we can reasonably conclude that this encounter would not come as a complete surprise for the man. Therefore, it is unreasonable to state that the interview was an “ambush interview”. In addition to this, the man agreed to speak with Aguilar (Tenore, Looking at the Ethics Behind Difficult Interviews), and because he openly volunteered his opinions, the accusations that Aguilar assaulted him unethically cannot be valid. We believe that, although aggressive, Aguilar was simply doing her duty in trying to expose the perspective of a major player in a marquise story.

The fact that the interviewee was an elderly man who responded in an emotionally charged and defensive manner did not work to Aguilar’s advantage. Aguilar’s questions, which included “Are you a trigger happy person?...” Is that what you wanted to do? Shoot to kill?” and were asked in a suspicious tone may not have been the most fairly delivered or framed questions. The overall response of the public can be summarized in this quote “I think it’s the combination of the obnoxious questions launched with such haughtiness at a burdened elderly gentleman who was, after all,