Add Breastfeeding to G2SS?

[RememberSchiff]

http://fox17.com/news/local/tennessee-mom-says-she-was-shamed-by-boy-scout-troop-leader-for-breast-feeding-baby

 

A Tennessee mother of a 1-year-old boy says she was publicly shamed by a scout leader for breastfeeding her child at a Boy Scout meeting.

 

Using the "two shirt method," which allows the top and bottom of the breast to be covered while feeding. she breastfed her child in the back of a room during a Boy Scout meeting. "None of the boys were even paying attention," she said. But when she was done feeding, a female scout leader allegedly pulled her aside. "She told me I was being inappropriate and continued to shame me. She told me if I wanted to continue feeding, I needed to leave or bring a blanket to cover myself," Millar says.

...

According to Tennessee laws protecting mothers who breastfeed, a mother can do so in any public or private place and breastfeeding isn't considered public indecency or nudity.

 

Millar was referred to the Boy Scout headquarters and was allegedly told by a representative "I was in the legal right and a letter would be sent to all parties," Millar says. Instead, what she received was a letter to just her which "sided with the Boy Scouts."

 

In the words of Tennessean Davy Crockett, "Be always sure you are right - then go ahead."

 

Go ahead Mrs. Millar.

[King Ding Dong]

"Get this unit back on track". Wat? The boys didn't even notice. Hopefully Mr. Lackey is not responding becuase he has been wished "the best with his future endevours."

Edited June 3, 2016 by King Ding Dong

[Stosh]

Now there's a lesson to be learned here for Citizenship in the Nation.  Here we have someone asked to hide their legal rights so as to not offend someone.  It sounds like Mrs. Millar was totally offended by this rude, crude "lady" SM, but none of that counted?  I don't know if it is fate or kismet, but somehow Mr. Lackey got a name he deserves.   If I was a leader in that troop, I would have dressed down that SM for unscoullike conduct.  She missed the helpful, friendly, courtesy, kind, cheerful, and brave parts of the Law.  Mr. Lackey comes in a close second.

Edited June 3, 2016 by Stosh

[Beavah]

Yah, where's da FACEPALM emoji?

[Ankylus]

If she has the legal right to do it, then she must be permitted to do it. The organization handled it correctly, the SM not so much.

 

But nobody handled it well. I agree with the SM that the boy scout meeting is not an appropriate place to be breastfeeding. The fact that she was sufficiently discreet that nobody noticed that particular time is good. But the second a 12 yo boy finds out there's a bare breast in the back, there's going to be pandemonium. I'm not talking about boys getting up to go gawk, but they're not going to be paying a whole lot of attention to the program because they are going to want to see if they can catch a glimpse of her breast.  I mean, they're immature...that's a given. So expecting them to handle it maturely is clearly unreasonable whatever her "rights" might be.

 

However, as mentioned, she has the right and the SM needs to respect that right. I wouldn't be surprised if he actually called people's attention to the fact that she was breastfeeding while he was at it. Talk about poor handling.

 

How to handle it well? In the first place, she could go outside, or into another room or office. I'm not saying an empty room or office, just someplace that is not filled with young teenage boys. Or, she could use a shawl or a light blanket to screen the whole thing from everybody else. If she is already taking steps such as using the two shirt method to help conceal the fact, this little bit of extra surely can't be much of a burden. And, instead of shaming her, the SM might have asked her to use the light blanket or shawl for the extra concealment.

 

To me, the whole incident is really just an example of the lack of common sense in today's society.

[RememberSchiff]

Our boys may be uncomfortable?

 

Ok more training then, look for my new video "It Happened to Me, I Was Breastfed" 

[King Ding Dong]

I agree with the SM that the boy scout meeting is not an appropriate place to be breastfeeding. The fact that she was sufficiently discreet that nobody noticed that particular time is good. But the second a 12 yo boy finds out there's a bare breast in the back, there's going to be pandemonium. I'm not talking about boys getting up to go gawk, but they're not going to be paying a whole lot of attention to the program because they are going to want to see if they can catch a glimpse of her breast.  I mean, they're immature...that's a given. So expecting them to handle it maturely is clearly unreasonable whatever her "rights" might be.

 

I respectfully disagree in the strongest terms possible.

 

If a boy no matter the age even bats an eye at a mother feeding her baby what we have is a bad parenting issue. I could care less if a female SM nursed during a SM minute.

 

Now you might have a point if one of the Scouts was getting a snack. It happens.

[David CO]

I very much doubt that state laws regarding breastfeeding would apply to a church facility.  

[qwazse]

It doesn't say that the woman doing the confrontation was the SM. The way I suspect it went down is that an SM/ASM noticed, asked a female committee member to confront the nursing mom. I also would like to think the confrontation was more of the "Would you mind?" type.

 

I'm not sure the church has any particular opinion on this. Frankly, nursing moms aren't wasting $ on formula, increasing the odds that savings make it into the collection plate. Although, I suspect the CoR would have been called by the SE about it.

 

This is a culture clash. Not everybody is up to speed with revised laws. And although a nursing mom cannot be held for indecent exposure, the law can't stop someone from asking a woman politely to change her behavior to conform to local culture.

 

Think about it using a neutral example. Parents can't legally be prevented from helicoptering our scouts, but we can and do often insist that they step away from the patrol.

 

That said, it is really lame putting this on the boys. Either say, "That's making the other adults really uncomfortable." Or stay out of it.

[Ankylus]

I respectfully disagree in the strongest terms possible.

 

If a boy no matter the age even bats an eye at a mother feeding her baby what we have is a bad parenting issue. I could care less if a female SM nursed during a SM minute.

 

Now you might have a point if one of the Scouts was getting a snack. It happens.

 

Well, if none of your scouts have bad parenting issues, then you're way ahead of my troop. Plus, in a troop of 125 plus, you are statistically guaranteed of several scouts with bad parenting issues. 

 

To each his own. At least our disagreement is "in the strongest terms possible."

[Stosh]

I very much doubt that state laws regarding breastfeeding would apply to a church facility.  

 

36 years ago, the pastor's wife breast fed during the worship service on occasion.  There was no other place to go but the church basement or the closet.  She tried to be discrete but everyone knew what she was doing.  No one ever said a word.

 

I have been around a lot of different churches over the years and there have been nursing going on all the time,  I have NEVER heard anyone speak against it or bring it up as an "issue" that had to be addressed.

 

I'm thinking breast feeding was around church facilities before the government caught up to the issue with it's laws.

 

Granted there might be a certain flavor of Christianity here or there that might have a problem with it, but it doesn't seem to be even on the radar around my neck of the woods.

[skeptic]

Lot of noise about nothing, as usual.  What I want to know is how it became a news item on Fox.  Who took it to the news outlet, and why?

[RememberSchiff]

Lot of noise about nothing, as usual.  What I want to know is how it became a news item on Fox.  Who took it to the news outlet, and why?

 

It was first reported along with the alleged female scout leader's name on the Middle Tennessee Council facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/MTCBSA/  but was soon removed.  Who at Council removed it, I don't know. Considering the responses from the troop, Council, and National, next stop for the complainant apparently was Fox News.

 

I have not found any comments from the Charter Organization or other troop members.

 

Can't understand the fuss there, no problems here. Our troop still supports motherhood and apple pie.

Edited June 4, 2016 by RememberSchiff

[TAHAWK]

I very much doubt that state laws regarding breastfeeding would apply to a church facility.  

 

 

 

68-58-101. Right to breastfeed in any location. —

A mother has a right to breastfeed her child in any location, public or private, where the mother and child are otherwise authorized to be present.

 

 

 

 According to the National Conference of State Legislators, 49 states including the District of Columbia and the Virgin Islands have laws that "specifically allow women to breastfeed in any public or private location." Hell yeah. 29 of those states (including Tennessee) exempt breastfeeding from public indecency laws. The only state where breastfeeding isn't protected is Idaho. So Millar was completely in the right for breastfeeding in public — because the law protects her right to do so.

But Millar's story gets worse. After calling the Boy Scout headquarters and explaining to them that her rights had been violated, Millar claimed that she was told "she was in the legal right and a letter would be sent to all parties." However, instead of receiving a friendly pass, Millar said she received a letter from her local Boy Scout chapter that, once again, reportedly scolded her for breastfeeding.

 

"When you choose to nurse your baby uncovered and/or in the same room as the scouts, it causes disruption," Vance Lackey, Director of Field Services for the Boy Scouts of America's Middle Tennessee Council, wrote in a letter, which was posted publicly to photo hosting site Imgur and has since gone viral. Romper has reached out to Lackey and the Middle Tennessee Council for comment and is awaiting a response.

The "local Boy Scout chapter" turned out to be the local council.  Expect little and you are less likely to be disappointed.

 

Later, the Council said it was looking for an "amicable resolution."  Complying with the law and respecting the Mom's civil rights would be a good start.

Edited June 4, 2016 by TAHAWK

[Hedgehog]

I very much doubt that state laws regarding breastfeeding would apply to a church facility.  

 

 

It wouldn't be a problem in my church:

 

http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2014/01/13/pope-tells-moms-its-ok-to-breastfeed-in-church/