An email sent to all 2,376 employees of California’s water board that promised a ‘safe space’ to discuss Derek Chauvin’s conviction ended up sparking a firestorm of reply-all emails as staffers accused management of ‘caving to the mob’ and ‘stoking the flames of division’.
The mass email chain, which was obtained by the Sacramento Bee via a public records request, was sparked by a single message from an unidentified employee at the State Water Resources Control Board on April 21.
That employee, who is a member of the board’s Racial Equity Steering Committee, had emailed all staff inviting them to attend a virtual ’employee support lunch’ where they could discuss Chauvin’s conviction and the recent police killings of other black Americans.
‘We first and foremost want to acknowledge how rough the last few weeks have been on everyone’s mental health with the senseless killings that have taken place all over the country,’ the original email read.
The mass email chain, which was obtained by the Sacramento Bee via a public records request, was sparked by a single message from an unidentified employee at the State Water Resources Control Board (above) on April 21
The employee, who is a member of the board’s Racial Equity Steering Committee, had emailed all staff inviting them to attend a virtual ’employee support lunch’ where they could discuss Chauvin’s conviction and the recent police killings of other black Americans
‘This event is intended for employees who are feeling emotionally affected by the current events of the country; it is not a question and answer session.
‘… we can support one another and you can share your feelings with you co workers in a safe space.’
The State Water Resources Control Board, which is one of six branches under the California Environmental Protection Agency, has five full-time members that are appointed to four-year terms by the governor and approved by the State Senate.
The board exists to ‘ensure proper water resource allocation and efficient use’ – or, in other words, decide who gets to use water and how much.
The email, which did not blind copy the recipients, but listed everyone’s individual name and email address, resulted in a firestorm of emails given employees could reply-all.
Some questioned why the relatively obscure body – charged with securing and delivering water – was even involved at all in such a political issue.
An engineering geologist was the first to reply-all with a lengthy message.
‘Killing occurs everyday in the United States and it is not all reported on… The fact the water boards is doing this now is just a sign of caving into the mob. Rome also was a great nation once before it feel to the mob.
‘Intra racial killing of African Americans is much more higher and significant than white cops killing African Americans unnecessarily.’
An engineering geologist was the first to reply all, saying the board was ‘caving into the mob’ before being asked to be removed from the ‘racially biased’ mailing list
‘I do not appreciate being forced to think of my fellow Americans as unable to solve their own problems and I detest the implication it means I have the power to change their lives.’
The engineer asked to be removed from the ‘racially based’ mailing list.
The names of the responders were redacted from the emails that were returned to the Sacramento Bee in its public records request. Because the employees are public employees, their email communications are also public.
Another employee replied, saying: ‘Those types of emails are not appropriate or professional for the workplace. They are offensive to anyone who is not a racist.’
The State Water Resources Control Board, which is one of six branches under the California Environmental Protection Agency, is operated by elected officials including Gov Gavin Newsom
One wrote: ‘I refuse to apologize or be victimized for immutable characteristics over which I have no control.’
Another employee went on to defend police by listing several officers who had been killed in the line of duty, saying: ‘These are real people who chose a life of service, willing to place themselves in harm’s way daily in order to protect ALL who cannot protect themselves.
They added: ‘Shame on the waterboard steering committee for stoking the flames of division like this… How extremely inappropriate and unfortunate to distribute such egregious propaganda this way.’
Multiple employees replied all asking to be removed from the mailing list altogether.
Among them was one employee who wrote: ‘Please remove my name from this mailing list. I refuse to apologize or be victimized for the immutable characteristics over which I have no control.’
One employee then informed everyone that the emails were being sent to all employees, including board members and executive management.
The board’s IT department eventually disabled the reply-all function for the email, its spokeswoman told the Sacramento Bee.
The spokeswoman said the board Executive Director Eileen Sobeck had planned to send a message on April 21 that would acknowledge the Chauvin trial and ’emphasizing the importance’ of the board’s racial equity programs, the Bee reported.
Instead, the unnamed employee from the board’s ‘Racial Steering Committee’ beat her to the punch with the email that sparked the reply-all firestorm.
After that firestorm, Sobeck later sent a company-wide email addressing the long email thread.
‘Unfortunately, the message was sent in a manner that allowed the reply-all function to be used inappropriately by some,’ Sobeck said.
Sobeck’s total compensation in 2019 was about $256,742, according to Transparent California, which tracks public officials’ pay.
She said she supported employees using their personal time to ‘offer their colleagues a caring place to share thoughts and feelings.’ She said employees should seek mental health and crisis resources, if those were needed.
As for the emails, Sobeck said: ‘The replies that were sent expressed a range of views, and some replies did not demonstrate the civility I expect in work-related discussions.
‘However, this discourse highlighted the importance of continuing our conversations about racial equity – working to ensure that race is not a predictor of life outcomes in California – and how that work benefits us all.’
Another agency spokesman, Nefretiri Cooley, wouldn’t say whether any employees had been disciplined.
