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Is this African being treated fairly?
Our readers are worried about Dr. Angela Wakhweya, Anne
Arundel County’s first African-American health officer, and
her case with the County and the State of Maryland.
We read from the ArundelPatch on line publication that Dr.
Joshua Sharfstein, the state Secretary of Mental Health and
Hygiene, has sent a request to the Anne Arundel County Council
on Jan. 3 for her dismissal.
“In the letter, Sharfstein formally requests the council to
affirm the termination of Dr. Angela Wakhweya,” saying it
would be "in the best interest" of the county's Department of
Health.”
While we may not know the exact reason or reasons that brought
this situation about, we want to point out that there seems to
be some haste in the proceedings.
We are not alone in this estimation.
We read a response in the same publication by councilman Jamie
Benoit that says the Council is being asked “to fly blind
and make a decision to terminate someone’s employment without
a single fact," and that "No one wants to tell us (the
Council) why we should fire her."
Council Vice Chairman John Grasso (R-2nd District) has also
said in the same publication that there seems “to be racial
undertones at play since Wakhweya is an African-American.”
We make no judgment on the reasons. But we are obligated to
state that she is a member of our community, an excellent
human being, caring and very helpful in our community affairs.
To fire Dr Angela Wakheya without good cause will be hurtful
to us. But to do so with reasons unstated, opaque, and in a
backroom smoke filled trial will leave us with distaste as to
how some of us are treated in this society.
We hope the Council will give Dr. Wakhweya a fair hearing.
The Publisher
Ghanadot
Add your view. You
can write to:
joshua.sharfstein@maryland.gov
governor.maryland.gov/mail
jerry.walker@aacounty.org
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