This sounds like something that FOX news would be reporting on, not involved in.

        In 2007, award-winning TV reporter Tom Burlington claimed he was fired for using the N-word.  At first glance the punishment issued is in line with the offense charged.  But, is it?  According to a suit filed in US District Court, Burlington, who is white, used the N-word - without malice - during a newsroom meeting, while black employees were not punished for using the same word at the station.

According to the suit, he used word in a June 23, 2007 staff meeting as Fox reporters and producers discussed a story about the symbolic burial of the N-word by the Philadelphia Youth Council of the NAACP.  During the ceremony the epithet reportedly was spoken at least 100 times. 

        During the discussion about the story, Burlington asked, "Does this mean we can finally say the word n-----?" while reporting the story.  One of the show's producers, who is black, exclaimed, "I can't believe you just said that!"

        According to the suit, his co-anchor Joyce Evans, who is black and had not attended the staff meeting, confronted Burlington.  According to the suit she told him he doesn't understand what it's like to be called a n----- and that he cannot use the word."

        The next day she called the station's Assistant News Director, Leslie Tyler, who is black.  Evans told her that employees were upset over Burlington's words.

        Burlington says he personally apologized to several African American station employees. But that wasn't enough for Evans, who is accused of encouraging fellow employees to denounce him to management.  She even tried to enlist a white coworker to complain because, according to a deposition cited by U. S. District Judge R. Barclay Surrick, "[t]he only people who have complained so far have been black people."

        Fox29 Station General Manager Mike Renda, a white male, ordered Human Resources head Ameena Ali to conduct an investigation.  During the investigation Burlington was asked to give his side of the story.  He repeated the conversation from the meeting, including the racial epithet.

        The meeting came to an immediate end, and Burlington was suspended.  An African American employee who was likewise asked to give an account of the discussion at the production meeting used the epithet several times in an email that he sent in response to management's request.  He was not disciplined.

        Ali said, "Tom, you're still saying the word; why are you doing that?"  This brought the meeting to an immediate end, and Burlington was suspended, according to reports.

        Burlington was given a stern warning, in writing, on July 3, 2007 informing him that his behavior was unacceptable, would not be tolerated, and advised him that he would not be warned again.  He was ordered to attend racial-sensitivity training – which he did.

        Three weeks later, management told Burlington he was out of a job.

        The case has been delayed multiple times since 2007 and now Surrick thinks the case has been stalled long enough.  A trial date could be set as soon as Friday.

        Wow!  I don't think we'll be following this story on Fox29.