An Asian American journalist has filed a lawsuit against her former employer for allegedly refusing to promote her for being “the wrong minority” at a Kansas-based news station.
RELATED STORIES: News Anchor Suspended After Disagreeing About Gabby Petito Coverage
The former news anchor says she was declined a promotion from a news director due to her ethnicity
Megan Murphy, also known as Megan Dillard, worked for Fox 4 in 2014 after signing a three-year contract and signed another deal in 2017 when she was promoted to a news anchor. According to the lawsuit, Murphy expressed interest in the lead anchor position for the evening news after a former colleague, identified as D.R., announced she was leaving the station. Her boss, Sean McNamara, allegedly refused to offer Murphy the position due to her race.
“She was not Black/African American, which Defendant considered to be the ‘right’ minority,” the suit reads. The position reportedly remained open until 2020 when the station Christel Bell, an African American journalist.
View this post on Instagram
.@RColburnnews & I anchor better than we sing, but tonight I’m reading the news one last time…
WATCH HERE: https://t.co/74j96D3B70 pic.twitter.com/oNy0CMKzLW— Megan Dillard (@mdillardnews) November 1, 2020
Socially-distant work dinner with my newest partner-in-crime! 📺🍽 @RColburnnews is pretty alright. pic.twitter.com/NhAlcSVm0D
— Megan Dillard (@mdillardnews) September 6, 2020
RELATED STORIES: News Anchor Suspended After Asking Why Didn’t 2020 Take Mitch McConnell Instead Of Alex Trebek
Megan Murphy late resigned from her position due to the racial discrimination she experienced at work
Murphy resigned from her position in 2019 and currently works as director of public relations for the Independence School District despite signing the three-year contract with Fox 4. She claims their discriminatory motives left her no choice but to resign. She is suing Nexstar Media Group, a parent company that owns the news station, and is seeking damages under Section 1981 of the Civil Rights Act.
Thanks to @jasonderulo & will smith, this show went off the rails…. 😂📺#eyebrows #newsbloopers #dontfireus #atleastitsnotCOVID @RColburnnews @RCFOX4KC @GFrankTV pic.twitter.com/NVCOBB0xhz
— Megan Dillard (@mdillardnews) August 17, 2020
According to KCUR, Nexstar is based in Irving, Texas and it is the largest television owner in the country with 199 stations.
Social media reacts to the lawsuit, some users have cited critical race theory
Twitter users have supported Murphy’s lawsuit stating that it is a prime example of removing critical race theory from schools due to Murphy being allegedly denied a promotion due to her ethnicity.
what a stupid description. So, Megan, you want us to think there really is a “right” minority? And if you’re Asian, why go by such European names on air and expect viewers and management to consider you a “right” minority too???? Make it make sense. @mdillardnews
— The Other TMZ (@TheOtherTmz) June 10, 2022
Megan Murphy, better known as Megan Dillard is suing the station’s parent company over her former news director’s refusal to promote her for being the “wrong minority.”
IDENTITY POLITICS IS UNETHICAL & this is why CRT & DEMOCRATS should be thrown out🔥https://t.co/p9faPORqM7
— 🇺🇸 ʟᴇғᴛ ᴄᴏᴀˢᴛ ᴠᴀɢʀᴀɴᴛ 🇺🇸 Don’t say happy😁 (@Baklava_in_CA) June 11, 2022
Murphy nor FOX 4 has commented on the lawsuit at this time.