An Illinois family is suing the Girl Scouts for allegedly disbanding a troop because the organization no longer wanted to foot the bill for disability accommodations.
Megan Runnion, 12, joined the Girl Scouts in kindergarten. Since that time, the organization paid for a sign-language interpreter to accompany the girl, who is deaf, at scouting activities.
But earlier this year, Runnion’s Chicago-area troop was disbanded. Troop leaders said the decision came because officials at the Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana were limiting the group’s activities due to the cost of the interpreter, the family said.
Now, in a federal lawsuit, Runnion’s mother, Edie, charges that the scouting organization violated the Rehabilitation Act by effectively excluding her daughter due to her disability.
“Megan is heartbroken that she can no longer participate in Girl Scouts,” said Edie Runnion, who brought the suit on her daughter’s behalf with the assistance of two advocacy groups — Equip for Equality and the National Association of the Deaf. “All of the children in our family have been involved in scouting, and it is devastating for Megan that she is being prevented from being a Girl Scout.”
For their part, a spokeswoman for the local council of the Girl Scouts told the Chicago Tribune that the organization “welcomes all girls as members” and “has a long history of adapting activities for girls who have special needs.”
The Runnions are asking the court to require the Girl Scouts to establish new policies to provide “auxiliary aids and services” to participants who are deaf or hard of hearing at all events. They are also seeking compensatory damages.
This is wrong. GSUSA (National) should have been involved in this – as well as local colleges/schools teaching ASL, the Deaf community… yeah, resources are tough – I have a hard time just getting snack $ together. But it seems to me no one really thought this through. And now a lawsuit will suck up more resources – so more girls will no longer have tropps.
I have a serious question. Is it their responsibility to provide this interpreter? I agree with the previous commenter. Could we not come up with an idea how to make this work WITHOUT going to court?
The big question here is why doesnt mom or dad go to the meetings so the daughter can have her girl scouts? I think its unreasonable to expect an extra-curricular organization to foot the bill. I have a child with special needs and I have signed up my son for various music lessons and swim lessons which I gladly supplied the necessary support for. I wouldnt dream of imposing this burden on others for the extra stuff I want for my child. As a parent, I think its up to us to supply those extra things that make life and us special.
Both my children are in scouting; girl scouts and boy scouts. My son has special needs and my husband is actively involved, moreso than others, because my son requires more supervision. As a volunteer organization, I would not expect the other volunteers to have to handle my childs special needs. All of the activities we attend as girl scouts are paid for by the parents and/or fundraising; i.e. cookie sales. The organization does not supply funding to the individual troops. I would expect though that activities were accommodating to special needs scouts and Iwould love to hope that a troop would look for a volunteer interpreter. My daughter just came back from a girl scout day camp and I would have expected accommodations for special needs girls; special training, written instructions, etc. but as a 100% volunteer staff, I would have expected that the parent of the child volunteer as well to help interpret as needed.
Aren’t there any former or current girl scouts who know ASL who would be willing to volunteer for this troop? If this is in the Greater Chicago area, the Girl Scout organization could certainly have done a better job of “scouting out” someone who can interpret. There are probably other girls with hearing impairments who would join. Why do the Scouts want to help old people cross the street, but not include a little girl in their activities? People who run this organization, like ALL such organizations, have contacts and the ability to network and reach out!
Becoming a Girl Scout is a choice. I feel that they should not have to provide this service. The parents should go along during this activity of choice. I to have a child with a disability and next year he will go to Cub Scouts and I can assure you we will be there with him every step of the way. The thoughts of them sueing because GS did not provide this service is absurd and I hope and pray this is thrown out of court quickly.
I too was active when my daughter was a girl scout. She has CP. I believe we need to be reasonable when asking for appropriate accommodations. How does she communicate with the other scouts? I saw this as a safe place outside of school to make friends and be one of the kids. This is where my daughter made friends to have sleep overs, go to the movies, the mall and it was not a forced friendship. I always believed to be fully included the children needed to be able to interact without the assistance of adults, when age appropriate. When my daughter was in school and had an assistant she hated it because the other children don’t always like having an adult in on their “conversations”. If these other scouts are the girls peers at what point would they start to learn how to communicate with her?
As a full supporter of Boy/Girl Scouting, I am not in agreement to this lawsuit. But more to this discussion, I a sibling and caregiver of a brother born with Down syndrome, in 1959, who was a Scout and proud of it!
Background history: We have two sons who were awarded the Eagle. My husband and I have participated not only as additional bodies on trips, but I have held the position of Pack Chairman and Eagle Scout Committee Chair, but don’t let me miss the fact that I was also a Brownie, Junior Cadette and Senior GS and a GS Troop Leader for the piloting of the Daisy program and led both a Brownie and Jr Troop.
I do not believe that this family should expect “auxiliary aids and services” for their daughter. If this young lady wants to participate in the troop, and I hope she does, then a family member can and should step up to the plate and not expect others to provide.
Not only am I a sibling & caregiver, but I am a Special Ed Educator working with young adults with moderate to severe limitations. I am also an Advisor for an Aktion Club, Kiwanis International Program for adults with limitations, so I am not talking out of my hat or discriminatory in any manner. I’m even in the process of starting our own Explorer Post, so that these young adults have similar opportunities to become involved in society and increase their independence.
Yes, I am going to have to put my time in, but I am also hoping that parents and other community members will become involved. Come on parents, this is your child and your responsibility. I do believe that it would be a benefit to all, if this troop was actually taught ASL. Now that would be a growing experience for all!
Whose responsibility it is to provide interpreting services for scouting activities: the parents or the Girl Scout Council of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana?
Most of the commenters here proudly relate their own willingness and ability to jump in and accompany their child with special needs to scouting activities, but what if Megan’s mom is not in position to do so? Is it OK for the Girl Scouts to tell Meagan she’s welcome — but she’ll have to bring her own interpreter if she wants to participate?
From various news accounts of this story, we learn that Megan has three siblings. Most Girl Scout troops meet after school, which is typically a time when many moms are “on duty,” chauffeuring kids to various locations. Maybe it’s not possible for Meagan’s mom to pay for a sitter or farm the siblings out. Schlepping the sibs along to a scouting meeting would disrupt mom from signing activities, and the Girl Scouts might not want the sibs there either. Maybe Mom’s ASL skills are not broad or sophisticated enough for scouting communication (there’s a difference between casual signing at home and formal interpreting). Maybe this, maybe that. We never really know someone else’s circumstances, so judging by our own situation puts blinders on us.
News accounts inform us that the family depends on dad’s wages, but that income doesn’t stretch to paying for an interpreter themselves. Nor does it make a lawsuit affordable — Meagan’s case is being handled pro bono.
Neither the parents’ abilities nor their income answer the question of whether it’s the parents’ responsibility to serve as or hire an interpreter. I don’t think there’s any law that answers that question, but there is nondiscrimination law that requires equal access to programs that receive federal funding, unless providing accommodation would cause an undue burden to the organization.
The \Girl Scouts council’s stated mission proclaims that their mission includes creating programs for “girls of all age levels, races, ethnicities, beliefs, economies, geographies and physical abilities.” The council does receive federal funding in support of its activities. The council has contributed toward interpreter fees since Meagan became a Daisy Scout in kindergarten. With net assets of $28 million, is the cost of interpreting services (maybe $1000-2000/year) an undue burden on this council?
Regardless of the outcome of this case, I think both the Girl Scout council and troop leaders handled this case so clumsily that the litigation shouldn’t be all that surprising. The deaf community may be small, but they have a long history of strong advocacy.
GOOD FOR YOU ! IM GLAD SOMEONE FINALLY DID SOMETHING ABOUT THIS BECAUSE I TRIED TO GET MY DAUGHTER INTO THE SCOUTS FOR MORE THEN 10 YEARS JUST TO BE TURNED DOWN BECAUSE SHES SPECIAL NEEDS I THINK ITS VERY UNFAIR THAT PEOPLE COULD BE TREADTED THAT WAY BUT IT HAPPENS EVERY DAY BUT FINALLY OUR RESPITE PROVIDER IS THE ONE THAT STARTED A HANDICAPPED TROOP ITS ONLY GOT 5 MEMBERS IN IT SO FAR BUT ALL THE GIRLS HAVE SOME KIND OF HANDICAP AND IT RANGES FROM MENTAL TO PHYSICAL HANDICAPS ITS ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF MY DAUGHTERS LIFE SHES BEEN ABLE TO TRY NEW THINGS AND ITS BEEN ALOT OF FUN FOR HER
IJUST WISH THAT SOMEONE WOULD HAVE STARTED THIS EARLIER MY DAUGHTER IS NOW 18 YEARS OLD BUT WITH THE MENTAL STATE OF A 8 YEAR OLD I TELL HER RESPITE PROVIDER I DONT KNOW WHAT WE WOULD DO WITHOUT HER SHES ONE OF THE MOST CARING AND PATIENT PEOPLE I HAVE EVER KNOW SHE DOES GAURD DUTY WORKS AT MACYS WORKS AT BRIDGES AND DOES GIRLSCOUTS I DONT KNOW WHEN SHE HAS DOWN TIME BUT WE LOVE HER FOR EVERYTHING SHE DOES FOR US
What a shame !!!!! girls scouts is run by volunteers and people expect to drop off kids and put nothing of there own time and resouces into it and many also forget to THANK the leader who give up their own time and for what
Congratualtions! It seems the Girl Scouts has a habit of excluding handicapped children. Here in Piermont, N.Y. my daughter too was excluded from the Junior Scouting this year by telling me that the troop was all full. We had already purchased her uniform and books and vest from last year which we had not even received yet. Don’t they make room for children with special needs? My daughter is 8 years old and this was a really fun event for her. I’m wondering if the families complained that my daughter was disabled because I know the children were not that welcoming toward my daughter. Many times I could see the exasperated look when the scout leader had to make an accommodation for her. When we did the cookie drive they did not choose and event to celebrate that my daughter could participate in and just behaved ignorant of this fact. I think it is shameful that such discrimination exists and I realize that this is not being taught to the children that discrimination of those that are disabled is wrong. God bless your daughter and I hope she finds a new troop or another group like 4H or other great organization to be part of.