ugh, you've got to be kidding me.

Breast-feeding moms told to cover up or be cited

Breast-feeding moms told to cover up or be cited

Edythe Jensen
The Arizona Republic
Aug. 9, 2005 02:15 PM

Mothers who breast-feed on Chandler city property must cover up, go to a private spot or leave if someone complains. Refuse and they could face criminal trespassing charges.

The rule takes effect this week after the City Council made no objections to an "administrative directive" released Monday by Community Services Director Mark Eynatten.

Resident Christia Bridges-Jones was among several women who earlier urged the city to not regulate public breast-feeding after a nursing mother was asked to leave a city pool picnic area earlier this summer.

"I'm flabbergasted that Chandler would take a position like this," she said. "It's a basic human right that my child be fed in a place where other children are fed."

Bridges-Jones said she is taking her cause to state lawmakers and is hopeful they will consider legislation allowing public breast-feeding.

Eynatten said Arizona law doesn't exclude nursing mothers who expose their breasts from "indecent exposure" prohibitions, and his directive conforms to that law.

It's also designed to give city employees a uniform policy on how to handle complaints without confrontation, Eynatten said.

He said city employees must now refer complaints about public breast-feeding to their supervisors. A supervisor will determine if the complaint is valid and if the woman's exposure is "unreasonably disturbing other members of the public."

The supervisor should "respectfully" ask the mother to cover herself or offer her a private place to feed the child. If she refuses, she will be asked to leave the building or grounds. Failure to leave could result in criminal trespassing charges, Eynatten said.

Amy Milliron, a Tempe mother who had urged Chandler officials to be more flexible, said she plans to attend Thursday's City Council meeting and hopes to convince members that the directive is bad policy. Bridges-Jones said she's not likely to attend.

"It's a done deal in Chandler; now it needs to go beyond the city," she said. if(ScriptsLoaded) stInit();