BOSTON (AP) – The U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit has ruled against a disabled New Hampshire girl who sued the Girl Scouts.
Marika Steir, of Atkinson, who uses a wheelchair, quit the Girl Scouts several years ago after claiming one troop refused to make outings accessible and a second troop refused to let her join. She has cerebral palsy. The troops, part of the Spar and Spindle Council of the Girl Scouts, denied the allegations.
The appeals court agreed with the U.S. District Court decision, which found Marika couldn’t ask the court to order the Girl Scouts to stop discriminating against her if she didn’t intend to return to scouting. The appeals court also upheld the lower court’s decision not to allow Steir to expand on the original suit after agreeing to a trial schedule.
However the appeals court said if Marika was subject to discrimination, that was “sadly inconsistent with the noble goals of an organization that in its own words is dedicated to helping girls develop their full individual potential.”
AP-ES-09-04-04 1530EDT
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