Georgia Mom Sues Girl Scouts Over Alleged Racism

A disturbing incident between a set of African American twin girls and their Atlanta Girl Scout Troop has me thinking twice about buying cookies this year–at least if I lived in Atlanta. An Atlanta-area mother has filed a lawsuit against their local Girl Scout troop, alleging that her daughters were expelled from the troop after giving a presentation on their family’s involvement in the Civil Rights Movement. The suit cites emotional distress and negligence, and argues that troop leaders knew that an expulsion would cause the girls harm.

The 8-year-old twins gave a presentation in March on their "family heritage project" that focused on their family’s involvement with the Civil Rights Movement in Mississippi. The girls were apparently distraught when they received a less-than-cool response from the rest of the troop members and leaders. Furthermore, about a month later, the girls’ mother received an email from a troop leader informing her that the girls were being expelled from the troop for showing a lack of enthusiasm compared to other scouts, but that the troop would help the girls find another troop that would better suit their needs if the girls wanted to continue with Girl Scouts.

A statement from the Girl Scouts doesn’t address why the email was sent, but does claim that it looked into the incident and that race played no part. Repeat phone calls, emails, and letters from the girls’ mother and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People have received no response, according to the family’s lawyer.