Kelly Carnes was fired as executive director of the Baltimore Rock Opera Society after backlash over her decision to wear cornrows.(Getty Images)

A White Baltimore arts executive was fired in September from the Baltimore Rock Opera Societyafter backlash over her decisionto wear cornrows following a trip to Burning Man.

Attorney Jeremy Eldridge said the circumstances of the firing of Kelly Carnes could raise discrimination questions under Maryland’s CROWN Act. Eldridgesaid the organization’s public statementsabout Carnes’ hairstyle could become relevant evidence if she challenges her dismissal.

“Had the Baltimore Rock Opera simply separated from this individual without providing a discriminatory reason; the timeline would be all of the evidence that the fired employee would have,” he told WBFF Fox45 Baltimore. “But here, when you’re making comments publicly that lean into the discriminatory allegation made by the fired employees, that itself could be evidence of the fact that you were terminated wrongfully, meaning that it’s discrimination under the crown.”

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Carnes said she had her hair put into cornrows as a protective style while attending Burning Man before the controversy followed her back to Baltimore.(USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect)

Carnes directedFox News Digitalto WBFF’s reporting when contacted about the controversy. She began serving as executive director of the Baltimore Rock Opera Society, known as BROS, on Sept. 8. The organization formally announced her appointment less than a week later, touting her more than 21 years of experience in arts leadership, nonprofit strategy, communications, fundraising and operations.

Carnes said she had her hair put into cornrows as a protective hairstyle while attending Burning Man in Nevada’s desert. After she returned, a video showing her with the hairstyle at a BROS event prompted complaints that a White woman wearing cornrows constitutedcultural appropriation.

BROSpublicly acknowledged the backlashafter removing the video, saying it had received concerns from members of its community and was taking the matter seriously. The organization also said it regretted removing the video without an explanation.

“We have received many heartfelt and concerned messages from members of our community regarding a video circulated on social media showing our new Executive Director, who is White, wearing cornrows at a recent BROS public event,” the organization said, according to WBAL. “We share the weight of these concerns and take this matter seriously.”

Quelle: Fox News