Nanny of the week: MO town bans breastfeeding near pools
By Eric Boehm / September 5, 2014 / 5 Comments
By Eric Boehm | Watchdog.org
Source: Warrensburg Parks and Rec Facebook Page
PUPPIES IN THE POOL: The town of Warrensburg, Missouri, allows dogs in the town pool. But breastfeeding mothers can’t be nearby because of worries about sanitation.
Mothers in Missouri are allowed to breastfeed their children in public, provided they use as much discretion as possible — unless they’re near a public pool in the town of Warrensburg.
City officials there aren’t stepping down in the face of a new state law that gives mothers greater protections to breastfeed in public. The town’s parks board says breastfeeding isn’t allowed near the pool because of “concern for the general sanitation of the aquatic facilities,” according to the local newspaper website.
That’s right — they want to keep the town pool as clean as possible, because the children and dogs who play in it need a pristine environment.
Wait, did I say dogs play in the pool?
Well, yes, they do.
The Warrensburg Park and Rec Board posted pictures to its Facebook page Aug. 15 from its “Doggie Dive” event, which allowed the canine population to cool off by splashing and swimming in the pool.
From the looks of it, the puppies had a great time.
But that raises some obvious questions for the board. Questions like: why aren’t they as concerned about the “general sanitation of the aquatic facilities” when there are dogs swimming in the pool, as they are when there are mothers breastfeeding near the pool?
Questions like: Isn’t it more likely that dogs (and children, for that matter) will pee in the pool than it is that breastfeeding mothers will somehow contaminate the water?
We put in a call to the parks board, but so far haven’t heard anything from them.
For now, just chalk this up to the confusing logic at the heart of every nanny state.
The issue came to light because a new Missouri state law gives additional legal protections to breastfeeding mothers. Basically, the law ensures they cannot be charged with indecent exposure while trying to feed their babies.
It doesn’t seem likely Warrensburg would want to file criminal charges against breastfeeding moms, but even so the logic of the policy is questionable at best.
For allowing concern over sanitation at the town pool to trump sanity, the Warrensburg Parks and Rec Board is this week’s nanny of the week. Their prize is a — oh, jeez, someone get Timmy out of the pool right now, he’s peeing everywhere!!
http://watchdog.org/168984/nanny-breastfeeding-moms-dogs/
