FAA allegedly fed black applicants 'buzzwords' to boost resumes, lawsuit alleges

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has allegedly been giving code words to members of the National Black Coalition of Federal Aviation Employees (NBCFAE) so their resumes will be considered before anyone who isn't black

Many would call it “cheating” in the name of “diversity”.

NBCFAE Vice President Shelton Snow told members that The FAA will open the bidding for employees from February 10. It says they will scan resumes and then a computer will group them by keywords. These words will mark resumes for potential hires, allowing them to jump to the front of the line ahead of thousands of others.

This is obviously part of a scandal and a long-running lawsuit.

This is one of the craziest things I've ever read.

First, the FAA gave students of the Federal Aviation Employees Black Caucus secret code words to put on their resumes that would jump them to the front of the line.

In another case of the signs to go in front of… pic.twitter.com/VSc32hmpj3

— Austen (@Austen) January 29, 2024

a taste of things to come pic.twitter.com/8BhtGowRJD

— TracingWoodgrains (@tracewoodgrains) January 29, 2024

“A scandal at the FAA has been slowly moving through the courts for a decade, culminating in the class action now known as Brigida v. @SecretaryPete, brought by a class that spent years and thousands of dollars on courses. via to become air traffic controllers, only to be fired for a biographical quiz with a failure rate of over 90%, implemented without warning after many of them had already taken and passed a skills assessment. The quiz awarded points for factors such as “lowest grade in high school is science,” something the FAA explicitly admitted in a motion to deny class certification,” TracingWoodgrains wrote in X.

For a decade, a scandal at the FAA has been slowly moving through the courts, culminating in the class action now known as Brigida v. @SecretariPeteled by a class that spent years and thousands of dollars on courses to become air traffic controllers,… pic.twitter.com/c2LL2d3kJK

— TracingWoodgrains (@tracewoodgrains) January 29, 2024

The list of keywords was allegedly obtained from a member of human resources at the FAA. Snow told members to “keep a lid on that attachment” and “focus on your resume.”

“Along with all this, NBCFAE members were hard at work. In particular, one Shelton Snow, an FAA employee and then president of NBCFAE's Washington Suburban chapter, provided NBCFAE members with “buzzwords” in January 2014 that would automatically put their resumes at the top of their files of human resources. A 2013 NBCFAE meeting advised members to “please include.” [on resumes] if you are a member of NBCFAE. […] You can see the strategy,' stressing that they were “only concerned” about the employment of “African-Americans, women… and other minorities,” TracingWoodgrains added.

“After releasing the 2014 biographical questionnaire, Snow took it a step further. As reported by Fox Business (related to Rojas v. FAA), he sent voicemails to NBCFAE applicants, informing them of the specific answers they needed to get into the biographical assessment to not fail, stating that he was “about 99 point 99. percent sure that's exactly how you should answer each question,” he stated to X.

The questions asked of the applicants were revealing.

Let's play the game “Get hired as an air traffic controller”. 90% of you will fail. Are you ready?

The first question is easy if you've been paying attention: pic.twitter.com/LKSEMpuRoq

— TracingWoodgrains (@tracewoodgrains) January 30, 2024

Did you say “story” and “a public notice or media announcement”? Full marks! I hope you didn't say you referred a friend; this will set you back. Next: sports and grades. Think carefully: you only have one chance. pic.twitter.com/xoPy2Xnz7W

— TracingWoodgrains (@tracewoodgrains) January 30, 2024

Acceptable answers include: “Less than 10 hours” and “I didn't go to college” for the first; “1 to 2” and “5 to 6” for the second. We will then look at your work history and your behavior in the group. pic.twitter.com/em6HB9tHzn

— TracingWoodgrains (@tracewoodgrains) January 30, 2024

Most answers are fine for criticism, but I'm sorry if you answered “A little more than most” or “A little less than most.” This indecision will cost you! And you have to find that sweet spot for training: 6 months to 2 years, and not a day more or less. pic.twitter.com/c2atFExjwK

— TracingWoodgrains (@tracewoodgrains) January 30, 2024

That should be enough to get you started. Only 69 more questions left. You got this!

To answer the full quiz yourself, review Exhibits 139-25 and 139-26 here, and maybe you too can be an ATC one day. https://t.co/KCFRZ7ohZ2

— TracingWoodgrains (@tracewoodgrains) January 30, 2024

TracingWoodgrains is a law student and donated to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. He claims this is a black eye for the FAA and the Department of Transportation (DOT), which it is, and it's not a partisan issue.

In the meantime, the FAA is also hiring people who have a “severe intellectual disability” and/or a “psychiatric disability” for employment in a new push for diversity and inclusion.

Terresa Monroe-Hamilton is a constitutional conservative who researches and writes extensively on politics and current affairs.

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