**(explanation for the Juggalo’s- he was the second President of the United States- not a beer)

REALLY REALLY STUBBORN FACTS FOR THE FAA:

• Were high school dropouts allowed to apply on the recent OTS bid? (YES)

• If "diversity" REALLY was the issue- couldn't the FAA have held a general public "off-the-street" announcement wiothout trying to eliminate the CTI programs? (YES)

• Did FAA HR employees, wearing badges after hours, input data and change resumes to benefit certain groups? (YES)

• Was a Barrier Analysis “Extension” commissioned by ATO’s Pinnochijoe Teixeira because the original Barrier Analysis author, James Outzz suggested STRENGTHENING the FAA/CTI relationship? (Yes)

• Is it beyond abnormal for the ATO to completely jump lines of authority and business and pay ($650,000) for an HR function such as a Barrier Analysis “Extension”? (Yes)

• Was it APTMetrics who “delivered” for Joe on the extension and gave his a pretextual reason to try and kill the CTI schools? (Yes)

• Were Joey T, David "per diem fraud" B., and the rest of the Juggys falsely using race as pretext to kill the CTI schools so they and friends could profit? (YES)

• Did an FAA's own study say CTI grads warranted a preference over OTS hires because they were succeeding more and failing less at OKC and their first facility? (YES)

• Did the majority of current CPC's fail the Biographical Analysis (BA) test? (YES)

• Was the BA test “validated” by CAMI? (No)

• Was there any mechanism to secure the BA to ensure the “applicant” was the one actually taking the test? (No)

• Did people take the BA, side-by-side, put in the exact same answer and achieve different results? (Yes)

• Does the FAA have any current way of verifying if those that “passed the BA and ATSAT” and have been offered employment can speak English prior to showing up at the academy? (NO)

• Does HR require tests regarding employment to be validated by CAMI? (Yes)

• Is the old ATSAT the only peer review validated ATC prediction tool? (Yes)

• Is the same outside the FAA group who did the Barrier Analysis Extension, (APTMetrics) attempting to “validate,” after the fact, the BA? (Yes)

• Were elite CTI graduates with lots of aviation experience and Vets passed over? (YES)

• Were those selected (who already had well-qualified scores) forced to re-take the AT-SAT at the taxpayers expense? (Yes)

• Was the CTI list purged of thousands of well qualified graduates who could immediately go to work without the need for the costs and time associated with the “new” program? (Yes)

• Were many military controllers disqualified off this biographical assessment? (Yes)

• Did the FAA issue many of them CTO's? (Yes)

• Is NATCA against this change in hiring? (Yes)

• Did the FAA tell people as late as October 2013 on their website the only way to become a controller was CTI or military despite having a change in plans in the works for months? (Yes)

• Was the biographical assessment deemed worthless to predict training success in November of 2013? (Yes)

• Were resumes looked at prior to disqualifying applicants (No)

• Was the CTI program exceedingly diverse? (Yes)

• Has Congress been lied to repeatedly? (Yes)

The FAA actually identifies a key fact in what really happened in the Barrier Analysis Report, page 155 to be exact...

"The Secretary of Transportation and the Acting Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration  [Huerta- acting at the time] were contacted by leading advocates [should have the name verified shortly] of civil rights organizations on the lack of progress in producing any tangible reports of a barrier analysis on a major occupation that has such vital national interest of the national airspace. This exacerbated the time limitations under which the study had to be conducted."

The story from inside the FAA is a little more shady. Apparently a minority employee within the FAA Office of Civil Rights determined that air traffic controllers make a high salary. The employee determined that there were more white male controllers than she believed were proper making it through the process, including passing a well-validated aptitude test the AT-SAT, and obtaining employment as air traffic controllers. She complained to the FAA Human Resources office and Air Traffic Organization. Initially not getting the results she determined were proper she complained to her boss who also then complained to various people within the FAA. Still not receiving the apparent quotas they sought- and getting no help from within the FAA (the FAA’s own studies- including the Barrier Analysis show that the CTI schools are not a barrier to minorities) “someone” decided to contact an race activist to threaten the FAA with publicity as a racist organization- unless the FAA changed the employment qualification requirements to become a controller (falsely deemed as barriers to certain races- read the reports), ignore the 3,500 CTI graduates (consisting of ALL races and genders) on the hiring role 3 years, open up “off-the-street” hiring, and make all prospective applicants (including those CTI students who would have to reapply) “pass” a NEW biographical questionnaire and NEW AT-SAT. You would think that the FAA administration wouldn’t bow to threats as they should be more concerned with safety than quotas….

Acting Administrator Huerta actually met with the activist. Shortly thereafter, Teixeira was summoned to the FAA Administrator’s office and told to change the process. Teixeira and crew made back-door plans, without the CTI stakeholder input (despite several special interest groups full knowledge of what was going on)  to effectively terminate the CTI students “place in line”, discount their specialized education, and make them “pass” tests apparently to take race/gender into factor in hiring.

A small sample of the bio questionnaire that ATC students in Oklahoma City are currently taking illustrates that the questions have absolutely no bearing on the aptitudes identified (via the AT-SAT and other studies) as predictive of controller ability and success. Such questions include:

·         Where did you go to high school?

·         Did you attend a CTI college? Which one? (drop down menu)

·         Do you play video games? What games do you play?

·         What kind of music do you listen to?

·         What TV shows do you watch?

·         Which magazines do you read?

·         What do you do when you get nervous?

·         Do you drink alcohol? If yes, how often and how much?

·         Optional: Gender and race (drop down menu)

Such questions are only useful in determining factors such as race and/or gender. In fact, identifying yourself as a CTI graduate may lead to a poor score. There is no way to determine what “weight” will be given to the exam as the FAA stated on the TELECON they would not release the data. The FAA also stated empathetically that the bio test was race/gender neutral. They FAA also falsely stated that no special interest groups were aware of the planned hiring changes. Again, a complete and total misrepresentation (lie) as several groups knew specifically what was on the horizon well before the CTI Institutions. Apparently during the FAA’s “robust” discussion they felt it proper to leave CTI graduates, students, and institutions completely out of the decision making process.

Perhaps most laughable was when Mr. Teixeira stated during the telecon that the changes weren’t based on diversity- although many of the FAA representatives spoke directly to that during the telecon and Teixeira's own email to the schools stated that changes were based on EEO MD-715. Listen for yourself here.

The FAA is overtly discriminating against CTI graduates and students under the guise of preventing discrimination. Race and gender has nothing to do with a person’s ability to perform as an air traffic controller. There are many fine controllers of all races and genders. To suggest otherwise is beyond insulting.  If you are a CTI student, regardless of race or gender, you need to get involved and protest this blatantly discriminatory action by the FAA. Find out how to do so here. If you are a CTI graduate you must file a complaint with the EEOC to protect your rights. You have to do this within 45 days of becoming aware of this discrimiantion. Find out how to do so here.