DPW WORKER FIRED FOR ANTI-GAY FACEBOOK POSTS

Facebook: Sam Falcento jr.

DPW Employee Sam Falcento, Jr. was fired this week, according to reports, after some anti-gay comments he had reportedly posted on a Facebook page were discovered.

PATCH reports:

Sam Falcetano Jr., who was posting on the open Facebook group,“Memories of living in South Orange, NJ or Maplewood, NJ” and identified himself as an employee of the Department of Public Works, complained that DPW workers spent hours cleaning up the “tons of garbage” left behind after the township’s two-day Maplewoodstock concert. Falcetano blamed the mess on “liberals who have voted for Obama and ruined the Maplewood I grew up in.” 

From there, Falcetano segued into statements criticizing teachers who “force feed their pupils a liberal agenda,” abortion and gay marriage, which he said “breaks down the moral fabric of society.” 

“…don't try and force your perverted man on man into our traditional marriage,” one post read. 

The thread was removed sometime late Monday night, after it came to the attention of township officials. Falcetano is no longer employed by the township, Township Administrator Joseph Manning said.

“Without question, the township finds this individual's comments to be appalling and not in anyway representative of the beliefs, policies or practices of the Township of Maplewood,” DeLuca said, reading from a prepared statement at the start of Tuesday’s Township Committee meeting. He continued, "The township will continue to embrace and promote an inclusive and welcoming community.” 

Asked about the situation, Township Administrator Joseph Manning said in an email: "Mr. Sam Falcetano Jr. is no longer employed by the township. I have no other comments on the matter."

It is unclear what rights he may have had as a civil servant or if he would plan to take any action for his dismissal, stay tuned.

Court rulings have become more common in the area of whether employers can dismiss employees for Facebook or other social media comments.

A New York appeals court this year reinstated a teacher who had posted she "hated" her students, while a teacher in Union Township, N.J., resigned last year after she received criticism for making anti-gay comments on Facebook that drew calls for her dismissal.