The Negro Educational Emergency Drive did not take long to fire Virginia Montanez after she revealed that she was the popular — and once anonymous — blogger PittGirl. PittGirl was a favorite of readers in Pittsburgh and would dish out funny jabs against the political establishment, particularly the mayor. The Negro Educational Emergency Drive, however, fired the mother of two when it learned what she has been doing in her free time.
NEED is a non-for-profit. The organization proudly displays the quote by William Butler Yeats that “Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” In appears, however, that Montanez lit a bit too many fires, particularly under the mayor.
Montanez, 35, outed herself as people seemed to get closer to her true identity. She now appears to also go under the name JanePitt. In her farewell on “That’s Church” she takes the high road: “As I feared would happen, I am no longer working at NEED. Listen. It’s okay. NEED is a wonderful organization doing what it needs to do, look after its rich history and stellar reputation. They don’t need me there as a distraction. I’m very sad about their decision, but I understand it and I am going to accept it and move on.”
For the full story, click here.
Ms. Montanez has a great attitude. That alone should get her another job offer.
OFF TOPIC: S/F Turlee’s
I was unboxing books to rotate into my library and I came across a title I felt compelled to suggest. GWLSMom, not sure if you fall into the S/F buff category, but you might like this one too. I’m not sure why I think that, but I do.
“Lives of the Monster Dogs” by Kirsten Bakis
It’s out of print, but you can buy used copies on Amazon if you aren’t lucky enough to live near a good used bookstore.
mespo727272 1, August 22, 2009 at 8:51 am
“The pure and simple truth is rarely pure and never simple.”
–Oscar Wilde
—
however, pure and simple classic lyrics are a different story…
p.s. try -“Freedom is just another word for nothin’left to LOSE”, Dredd
A very unfortunate situation. If she was truly fired for her non-work activities, does she have any recourse under Pennsylvania law? Was she an at-will employee? The story doesn’t tell us much and the employer was correct to not make a statement, but it does make you wonder about the freedom of speech and the costs of exercising that freedom.
“Freedom is just another word for nothin’ left to do” … Janis
It is one thing to be Anonymous and then another thing to be really Anonymous.
So she came out and got fired for Lighting a Fire? Is she covered by a right to work law, whistle blower and collective bargaining?
I feel for her, if she was doing what she thought was correct.
“The pure and simple truth is rarely pure and never simple.”
–Oscar Wilde