Breastfeeding controversy at a courthouse
I came across this odd story out of Tennessee. My comments after the article, but make sure you watch the video.
Breastfeeding Controversy at Rutherford County Courthouse-Erika Lathon
Breastfeeding in public isn’t against the law but a Murfreesboro woman says it nearly got her arrested.
Heather Rankins says she did nothing wrong but Sheriff’s deputies say she became loud and disrupted court.
Rankins was breastfeeding her 4 month old son Payne Monday morning at the Rutherford County Courthouse.
She says initially a female deputy asked her to move to a private area and when she refused, the situation escalated with a male deputy.
Rankins said, “He said one of two things will happen, either you’re going to leave or I’m going to take you to jail and DCS will have your child picked up. I said you can’t do that and he said yes I can.”
In a written statement, the Sheriff’s Department says Rankins was warned she could be arrested for disorderly conduct and disrupting a courtroom.
The Sheriff’s Department acknowledges in the statement that breastfeeding is legal in Tennessee, but if there are complaints, they ask women to cover up or move to a private area.
In this case, they point out that despite being disruptive, Rankins was allowed to leave on her own without being arrested.
Ordinarily I feel it’s my job to side with the mother, but after watching this video I can’t help but think Rankins was out to make a scene. I don’t know what precipitated the complaints that caused the deputy to ask her to move, but I’m sure that once she was asked to cover up she did get loud and she did disrupt court, even from outside of the courtroom. Breastfeeding in public is protected in Tennessee, a point that could have been made without yelling. A simple reminder of the law should suffice when confronted.
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June 25th, 2008 at 8:59 am
[...] a scene by Jackie The news story about the woman causing the scene in the courthouse got me thinking. Breastfeeding is normal and natural and there is nothing sexual about it. I [...]