Former Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius ripped her successor Sam Brownback Wednesday for rescinding a 2007 executive order from her administration.
Brownback cancelled an order that extended job protection to state workers based on sexual orientation or gender identity. “I am surprised, appalled, baffled, frankly,” Sebelius told KMBC 9 News.
Brownback’s office announced Tuesday it was rescinding several executive orders put into place by Sebelius and former Governor Mark Parkinson’s.
the Brownback Administration replaced the Sebelius order on job protection with a new one.it says the state will not discriminate in its hiring practices based on ” race, color, gender, national origin, ancestry or age”.
“I think it will brand Kansas as taking a step backward when the rest of the country seeming to be moving forward with tolerance,” Sebelius said.
She also thought it was good for a Governor to send a signal to a big operation like state government that it would not be discrimatory.
In a statement, Brownback’s office says if a set of people are to be placed In a protected class, it should be done by the legislature, not an executive order.
Equality Kansas, A gay rights organization, says the Brownback move is “an outrage”
Equality Kansas Chair Sandra Meade says LGBT state workers can now lose their jobs for who they are, not how well they work.
“If they place as picture of a same sex spouse on their desk, he can fire them. And he will fire them for doing that ” she said.
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