No one affiliated with the Metro Nashville Public Health Department (MPHD) on Thursday wanted to discuss whether and why one employee is reportedly on administrative leave for verbally sparring with Director of Health Equity Stephanie Kang.
Metro Nashville Human Resources Director Shannon Hall said Wednesday that someone filed a complaint with the MPHD Human Resources Department. She did not say whether Kang was the person who filed the complaint.
Sources, however, said Kang lodged her complaint against Brian Todd, the MPHD’s communications director. The two allegedly argued over an email that Kang sent to MPHD employees calling the Kyle Rittenhouse verdict “an injustice.”
A source said these events resulted in MPHD officials placing Todd on administrative leave.
Is that true?
No one that The Tennessee Star contacted on Thursday wanted to say.
On Thursday we contacted all six members of the MPHD Board of Health. Only one of them, Lloyda Williamson (pictured above), made herself available.
“I have no information on the subject to which you are referring,” Williamson said when asked by phone to confirm whether Kang formally complained about Todd.
The Star asked Williamson if she was at least aware of such a situation.
“I am not going to comment about this. I don’t have any information,” Williamson said.
MPHD spokesman Matthew Peters would not provide a copy of the complaint that Kang allegedly filed against Todd or information about Kang’s yearly salary.
The Star asked Peters if Kang has created an environment of fear where anyone who disagrees with her fears her politically progressive agenda or fears that she will file a complaint against them?
Peters, via email, said no.
Kang, via her LinkedIn page, appears to have a background in policy. We asked Peters why the MPHD hired Kang for this position.
“She was determined by the interview process to be a very well-qualified applicant,” Peters said.
We also asked Peters why the MPHD even needs a director of racial and health equity in a 500-member department.
Peters declined to respond and instead attached the minutes from a March 2020 MPHD Board meeting.
That document said 40 percent of Nashvillians are people of color, and 12 percent were not born in the United States.
MPHD issued an apology for Kang’s email about Kyle Rittenhouse.
The Star specifically asked Peters Wednesday if Todd was available for comment. Peters said “He’s out.”
MPHD officials hired Kang to the newly created position of director of racial and health equity in July, according to Kang’s LinkedIn page.
Kang received a doctorate from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and has an undergraduate degree from Northwestern.
Prior to taking the MPHD job, Kang served as the health policy director for the head of the Progressive Caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives, Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA-07).
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Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Dr. Lloyda Williamson” by Meharry Medical College. Background Photo “Metro Nashville Public Health Department” by Metro Nashville Public Health Department.
So much for the fake leader of equity providing equity to anyone who disagrees with her. Wasn’t she hired just several weeks ago? Sounds like the health department hired a hit woman. Where is HER apology for an official memo that was totally out of line?
Agreed, the position should be eliminated at once.
Nashville continues to rise to the top of the dung pile.
Kangs’ position should not exist – nothing good is going to happen when progressivism takes over