South Dakota teen claims manager forced him to wear ‘Gaytard’ name tag at fast food job

[TorchTheWitch]

27. not buying it

Looks more like to me that the kid got fired and made up this story in retaliation.

http://www.yankton.net/community/article_b1f60648-fce0-11e3-8113-001a4bcf887a.html

"At Taco John's, we have a policy that we don't discriminate against anyone," Scott said. "This blew out of proportion before we even got a chance to investigate. We didn't even get to defend ourselves. Everyone thinks we're guilty. Don't believe everything you read on the Internet. Not everything is true."

He said a manager and two employees - including Brandt -- were involved.

"We never forced him to wear the name tag," Scott stated. "He wore it himself. I have an employee who wrote me a statement and is signing it saying so."

"From what I understand, they were all joking around. Everyone has a nickname here, and he wanted a nickname. (Gaytard is) what he picked for a nickname. He wasn’t forced to wear the name tag. He asked the manager to make that name tag for him. He handed it to him. He didn't tell him he had to wear it. He put it on himself and created the situation. He said the manager forced him to do it. The manager didn't force him to do anything."

Scott said Brandt became upset when he was told to go home early Monday for "not doing his job" and resigned early the next morning.



So, where are the employees or customers that witnessed any of what this kid has alleged? Nowhere. Once again the media amok with a story without bothering to actually check it out. And once again people on social media and here at DU do the same.

What this kid described was rather extraordinary abuse though I don't personally believe it occurred. I don't believe that even in South Dakota where there are likely just as many LGBT people as pretty much any place else in the country that any manager of a business would permit an employee to wear such an obviously disparaging name tag in front of customers and other employees whether those people are LGBT or not because of course it is offensive to anyone that has no mindless hatred of LGBT people not to mention that it's totally unprofessional.

One can't hide their name tag behind a cash register since no register clerk can do that job without moving about and having to physically engage customers.

There's no way on earth that there would have been not even one single customer or employee that was a witness to either the name tag or the verbal abuse that would not have complained yet in this story - well, what do you know - there is not a single one of either backing up this kid's story. What he alleges was VERY public, and without one single person with direct knowledge of any of it anywhere.

Please people, stop and think before spreading these stories around. REAL people have gotten death threats and suffered other harm even physical because of bogus allegations by some hoaxster looking for a payday and/or just wanting the media attention. WAIT and find out if there is any legitimate proof of allegations especially independent witnesses particularly in stories where there should be several.