Former Airway Heights Corrections Center guard claims he was fired for wearing 'Black Lives Matter' shirt

AIRWAY HEIGHTS--A former on-call guard at the corrections center is suing the Department of Corrections, claiming that he was fired for wearing a "Black Lives Matter" T-Shirt.

Enow-Tambong Agbor-Baiyee was hired into the position in May 2020, The Seattle Times reported yesterday.

The federal wrongful termination lawsuit claims that an instructor and other trainees wore shirts that stated "Police Lives Matter." Agbor-Baiyee reportedly filed an objection in writing, then wore a "Black Lives Matter" shirt in response.

The lawsuit also claims that a supervisor pulled Agbor-Baiyee aside and told him the shirt was "inappropriate and inciting," and could no longer wear it to class.

Instructors then told trainees that they couldn't wear any shirts with texts or logos the next day, and Agbor-Baiyee was fired the next week, the lawsuit claims.

The Department of Corrections told media in an email that the department doesn't comment on pending litigation.

Agbor-Baiyee is seeking back pay and his job back, or pay and benefits in lieu of reinstatement.