And oh, my, the masses have risen in defense of Kathleen Leavey. I use the term “masses” loosely; I’ve gotten perhaps a dozen comments. But all of them complained about Leavey’s resignation in the wake of her comment that the 36th District Court was acting like a “ghetto court.” Most called Chief District Judge Marilyn Atkins’ complaint letter another case of political correctness, an over-sensitive reaction that only deepens the racial divide.
Here is Leavey’s defense: “I called it that because of the way they treat people,” Leavey said, speaking in part of the long lines for service that are common in the court. “They treat people poorly … whether you are black or white. You just get less service than you get in the suburbs. It’s just a bad situation.”
What’s interesting is that Leavey believes she has been called a racist. She wasn’t. Judge Atkins called her words racist, and that isn’t the same thing. Without question, using the word “ghetto” is tied to the black community, making it a racist remark. And it’s street language, the kind of word kids toss back and forth when they’re talking about each other’s clothing or taste in music, which makes it unprofessional. I think Judge Atkins’ tone might have been overly dramatic, but I agree with her. This was not the kind of word an educated, affluent city attorney should be using, while she’s working in the service of the citizens of Detroit.
Leavey may be right about the abysmal situation at the 36th. Hard to expect anything else, given the large amount of crime and small amount of money available to deal with it. But attorneys work in a world where every word can be dissected and resected and compounded in meaning. Attorneys know the wrong words spoken in the wrong location can result in serious and significant consequences, whether intended or unintended.
Leavey’s resignation may seem extreme. Still, it’s not like she’s lost her job, she intends to remain a city attorney. There will be more discussions about this, city council members have said. As we face another Martin Luther King Jr. Day, I wonder what would happen if those folks just called Leavey in and gave her a consequence for her unacceptable behavior. Let her keep her job, but ask her to do a little community service. Help clear the docket in the 36th.
Wouldn’t that be something?
ms. golden, i think it would be fair to actually check out the daily workings of the 36th district court. maybe we would find out what ms. leavey was referring to as”ghetto”. personally i think you’ll see it in action. also i’d like some more information on the distictive work of chief judge adkins. i seem to remember her name when the mayor was going over to canada…..
Ms. Allen, thanks for sharing your thoughts. I’m not an investigative reporter- just a blogger with a suggestion as to how this situation might be resolved in a more constructive way. Perhaps Ms. Leavey, rather than complaining about the situation in the court, could become part of the solution and the Detroit City Council could keep someone on staff who is, by all accounts, a good attorney.