Fire Chief Fired After Going to Religious Event Lacks Bias Proof

Stockton, Calif., defeated an appeal by its former fire chief, who claimed anti-Christian discrimination drove his firing after he attended—on city time—a leadership summit sponsored by a church.

The ruling Friday by the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit addressed when facially pejorative remarks by a supervisor amount to direct proof of discrimination. The comments cited by Ronald Hittle in his lawsuit included the deputy city manager asking Hittle if he was part of a “Christian coalition” at work and telling him such behavior was inappropriate. They also included remarks by the city manager and deputy that Hittle ...