Read Article: "Taco Bell Says Employees Can Wear Black Lives Matter Masks After A Worker Was Fired for Wearing One"

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/food/2020/06/18/black-lives-matter-boycott-taco-bell-worker-fired-blm-masks/3213474001/(Links to an external site.)

According to the article, Taco Bell said recently that it does not prohibit its employees from wearing Black Lives Matter masks and was working closely with an Ohio franchise after a former employee said he was fired for wearing a mask supporting the movement.

Denzel Skinner shareda live video on Facebook June 8(Links to an external site.)

about getting fired from a location in Youngstown, Ohio, for refusing to take off a Black Lives Matter mask. The video started going viral Thursday.

"We believe Black Lives Matter. We were disappointed to learn about the incident that took place in Youngstown, OH," Taco Bell said in a statement. "We take this very seriously; we have been working closely with our franchisee that operates this location to address the issue."

Skinner said he worked for the restaurant for eight years.

"This is crazy - all because I got a Black Lives Mattermask on - that I'm losing my job," Skinner said in the video. "We can wear any type of masks."

In the video, anunidentified woman, possibly a manager, told Skinnerthe masks had to be plain and "You can't bring politics into the building."

Skinner responded that it wasn't politics.

"Bro, I'm not bringing politics in, this is what I'm standing for," Skinner said. "Like how is this considered politics?"

The fast-food chain said in its statement that the company'schief people office and parent companyYum!'s chief diversity and inclusion officer spoke with Skinner last week to "apologize and discuss the situation."

"Our goal is to ensure our policies are inclusive and keep our team members and customers safe,"Taco Bell's statement said. "While our policies at restaurants do not prohibit Team Members from wearing Black Lives Matter masks, we are working to clarify our mask policy, so this doesn't happen again."

Last week, Starbucks said it wasallowing its baristas and other employees to wearBlack Lives MatterT-shirts and pins(Links to an external site.)

, reversing its policy on the matter.

Discussion Questions

1.What does it mean to be a "diversity and inclusion" officer?

2.Suppose that Taco Bell decided to respond differently to the issue; i.e., suppose the company decided to prohibit employees from wearing "Black Lives Matter" masks. Would that have been a violation of law? Why or why not

3. Do you agree with Taco Bell's decision? Why or why not?