[20290] in APO-L
HIV-Positive Scout Files Complaint
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Derek Cashman)
Fri Mar 12 20:10:37 1999
Date: Fri, 12 Mar 1999 17:10:46 -0800
Reply-To: Derek Cashman <cashman@YAHOO.COM>
From: Derek Cashman <cashman@YAHOO.COM>
To: APO-L@LISTSERV.IUPUI.EDU
This just came across the AP newswire and I thought it might interest
some of those here...
HIV-Positive Scout Files Complaint
Thursday, 11 March 1999
Q U E E N S B U R Y , N .Y . (AP)
A HUMAN-RIGHTS complaint has been lodged against the Girl Scouts for
initially denying membership to an HIV-positive 8-year-old.
The Legal Action Center of New York City filed it Wednesday on behalf
of Quashawn Donovan with the state Division of Human Rights. Quashawn
was rejected from seven troops in the Queensbury area last year
because she has the virus that causes AIDS, according to her mother,
Dianne Donovan.
"We want the human rights division to require the Girl Scouts to
educate all troop leaders, volunteers and staff that HIV cannot be
transmitted through casual contact," said Legal Action Center lawyer
Sally Friedman. "We also want them to order the Girl Scouts to adopt
stricter anti-discrimination policies that would hold people who
violate them accountable."
The complaint also seeks unspecified damages to compensate Quashawn
for the emotional distress she suffered when she was rejected by troop
leaders, Friedman said.
An administrative law judge will hear the complaint, which alleges
violations of the state's human rights law. His decision would be put
into effect by the state commissioner of human rights.
Kit Huggard, executive director of the Adirondack Girl Scout Council
in this town about 45 miles north of Albany, declined to comment
Wednesday on the complaint. She maintains, though, that the Girl
Scouts do not discriminate against any child, including those with
life-threatening illnesses.
According to the complaint, the local council gave Mrs. Donovan an
enthusiastic response when she first approached them in October
looking for a troop for her daughter. But she said she was later
rebuffed by troop
leader after troop leader, who individually hold the power to decide
who joins their troops.
Mrs. Donovan said she believes leaders, who are volunteers, were
afraid parents would pull their children from troops if Quashawn
joined.
The Legal Action Center accused the local council with discrimination,
and the national organization, Girl Scouts USA, with "aiding and
abetting" that discrimination.
Friedman said troop leaders don't face any consequences if they
violate the organization's anti-discrimination policy.
==
_________________________________________________________
Derek Cashman (cashman@yahoo.com)
President; Richmond VA Alumni Association
Alpha Phi Omega
_________________________________________________________
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