# What should have this Hospital done about a Racist demand in the NICU? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 15, 2013, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-have-this-hospital-done-about-a-racist-demand-in-the-nicu/650429 "2013-02-15T20:14:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2013, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-have-this-hospital-done-about-a-racist-demand-in-the-nicu/650429/1 "2013-02-15T20:14:56Z")
I’m not sure the hospital had a good response to this situation. A baby in the NICU absolutely must have care. You can’t just tell the racist father to F Off and take the baby with him. That’s a death sentence for the premature newborn. On the other hand, do they spark a potentially violent confrontation with the racist dad? Do you really want a dozen armed cops with rifles guarding the hospital because the hospital picked a fight with a racist? Do you want to put all those patient’s lives at risk? A hospital is a place of healing and rest. Even in war zones they are supposed to be neutral territory. I just don’t see a good solution to this situation. Other than treating the baby until it could be released. Then, do everything possible to avoid admitting members of this family again. Even then, what do you do if they return with a critically ill baby? You can’t refuse treatment because dad is a racist. Ordinarily I’d say take a stand. Tell the racist to piss off. This situation is so unique. I have no firm opinion on this one. What about you? [http://rt.com/usa/news/michigan-hospital-racial-discrimination-326/](http://rt.com/usa/news/michigan-hospital-racial-discrimination-326/) > [@](#): > > An African American nurse is suing a Michigan hospital for folding to the request of a racist parent. The nurse was reportedly reassigned when a father with a swastika tattoo said that African Americans could not take care of his baby. > > According to court documents, Tonya Battle was caring for the baby in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Hurley Medical Center in the city of Flint, when the man approached hospital administration with his demand. > > “The father told the [nurse in charge] that he did not want any African Americans taking care of his baby,” the lawsuit states. The man then pulled up his sleeve showing a tattoo believed to be a swastika. > > The hospital responded by reassigning his baby to another nurse, the lawsuit states. > > “[The nurse] was shocked, offended and in disbelief that she was so egregiously discriminated against based on her race and re-assigned,” court documents read. > > The supervisor then held a meeting with hospital staff, informing them of the hospital’s decision not to allow African American employees to take care of the baby. > > But it didn’t stop there. The hospital took Battle’s humiliation one step further, posting a note next to the baby’s name on the assignment clipboard which read, “No AfricanAmerican nurse to take care of baby.” ---
**Author:** ![miss\_elizabeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@miss\_elizabeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/miss_elizabeth)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2013, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-have-this-hospital-done-about-a-racist-demand-in-the-nicu/650429/2 "2013-02-15T20:56:23Z")
Aren’t there lots and lots of old people in nursing homes and hospitals that refuse to be treated by minorities? How is it dealt with in those situations? ---
**Author:** ![phouka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@phouka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phouka)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2013, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-have-this-hospital-done-about-a-racist-demand-in-the-nicu/650429/3 "2013-02-15T20:56:36Z")
Hmmmm . . . trying to channel my mom here. “Your infant’s nurse is a licensed professional and valued staff member. We do not assign staff members based on prejudice or racism. If you have an issue with this, you are welcome to have your child transferred to another hospital, but I can assure you that they have similar policies. If you in any way interfere with our staff members’ duties, you will be removed from the hospital grounds and banned from returning. If you choose to ignore this, you will be arrested, and we will press charges.” . . . yeah, that sounds about right. RNs do not take shit, and it sounds like the hospital administrators need some new spines and a full set of complementary gonad installations. ---
**Author:** ![JerrySTL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e274bd/32.png) [@JerrySTL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JerrySTL)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2013, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-have-this-hospital-done-about-a-racist-demand-in-the-nicu/650429/4 "2013-02-15T20:58:06Z")
My wife is a nurse and has recently told me about whites not wanting blacks to care for them and also blacks not wanting whites helping them. She even seen where a black didn’t want blacks. Most of these cases are with elderly patients, some who are confused. The hospital usually tries to accommodate the patient. You’d think this kind of stupidity was long over, but I guess not. Personally if the jerk father took off with the kid and the baby died, well, maybe a little Darwinism would be going on here. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2013, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-have-this-hospital-done-about-a-racist-demand-in-the-nicu/650429/5 "2013-02-15T21:48:18Z")
I wondered if a stern dressing down by a RN would do the trick. RN’s and teachers can be pretty formidable. 🙂 These days you just never know if the racist guy would slink away or escalate the situation. > [@phouka](#): > > Hmmmm . . . trying to channel my mom here. > > “Your infant’s nurse is a licensed professional and valued staff member. We do not assign staff members based on prejudice or racism. If you have an issue with this, you are welcome to have your child transferred to another hospital, but I can assure you that they have similar policies. If you in any way interfere with our staff members’ duties, you will be removed from the hospital grounds and banned from returning. If you choose to ignore this, you will be arrested, and we will press charges.” > > . . . yeah, that sounds about right. > > RNs do not take shit, and it sounds like the hospital administrators need some new spines and a full set of complementary gonad installations. ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2013, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-have-this-hospital-done-about-a-racist-demand-in-the-nicu/650429/6 "2013-02-15T21:50:25Z")
> [@JerrySTL](#): > > You’d think this kind of stupidity was long over, but I guess not. Personally if the jerk father took off with the kid and the baby died, well, maybe a little Darwinism would be going on here. It’s NOT the baby’s fault! :mad: The nurse was right to feel insulted, and the father’s behavior is appalling. But I feel sorriest for the baby in this situation. I wonder where the mother is. ---
**Author:** ![Septima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@Septima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Septima)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2013, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-have-this-hospital-done-about-a-racist-demand-in-the-nicu/650429/7 "2013-02-15T23:39:17Z")
In the case of the very elderly, I do have some sympathy. When the faculties go, old fears tend to surface, and attitudes long left behind in adult life come back up. I don’t think an elderly person, with horrible fears instilled in childhood through no fault of their own, should be forced to accept care from someone that actively distresses them. This father though? Toss him out on his ear. He is just being an ass for no reason, and the baby doesn’t care. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2013, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-have-this-hospital-done-about-a-racist-demand-in-the-nicu/650429/8 "2013-02-16T00:17:39Z")
Hospitals should accommodate reasonable requests and politely refuse unreasonable ones. If he had demanded that the nursing staff walk around topless, I doubt the hospital would have catered to him, sick baby or no. If I were the RN, I’d be wondering about what happens when Racist Man spreads the word about how the hospital accommodated him and suddenly the hospital becomes the destination for all white racists and their sick babies. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2013, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-have-this-hospital-done-about-a-racist-demand-in-the-nicu/650429/9 "2013-02-16T00:43:23Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > …If I were the RN, I’d be wondering about what happens when Racist Man spreads the word about how the hospital accommodated him and suddenly the hospital becomes the destination for all white racists and their sick babies. I’d be tempted to assure him only Ayran staff would treat his baby, and then page Dr Patel. > [@Septima](#): > > In the case of the very elderly, I do have some sympathy. When the faculties go, old fears tend to surface, and attitudes long left behind in adult life come back up… Especially with a female patient and a male nurse or aid of any race. It’s very easy for a dementia-stricken old woman to think the aid trying to give her a bath or help her to the toilet is trying to rape her. According to Mom they always make sure that only female staff are assigned to them. Which is never a problem because they always have female staff on hand. The elderly monsignors who insist on male aids are another story. ---
**Author:** ![Peanuthead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peanuthead/32/360_2.png) [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2013, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-have-this-hospital-done-about-a-racist-demand-in-the-nicu/650429/10 "2013-02-16T01:01:48Z")
Blah blah blah. Anybody check the source of this story? [Rt.com](http://Rt.com)? Oh, excuse me, here comes my date. She’s a French model…:rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![huck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@huck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/huck)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2013, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-have-this-hospital-done-about-a-racist-demand-in-the-nicu/650429/11 "2013-02-16T01:08:00Z")
If he had insisted that only curvy blonds care for his baby and shown them a big-bused tattoo, would the hospital have complied? Or maybe if he only wanted motocycle enthusiasts caring for his child, and displayed a “Born to Raise Hell” tat, they would have assigned only bikers to his baby. I don’t see any reason to acquiesce in this idiotic request more than other and wonder why the hospital chose to honor it. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2013, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-have-this-hospital-done-about-a-racist-demand-in-the-nicu/650429/12 "2013-02-16T01:19:30Z")
The original story came from WNEM TV5 a local CBS station in Flint MI. I didn’t link to the video because most people prefer reading an article and local news vids sometimes get taken down after a few days. Here’s the original vid for those that are interested. Google Hurley Medical Center for several more news links from Reuters, NY Daily News etc. From what I can tell, all the articles are basically using the WNEM story. > **[Video](https://www.wnem.com/video/?clipId=8372721&autostart=true)** > > Video > [@Peanuthead](#): > > Blah blah blah. Anybody check the source of this story? [Rt.com](http://Rt.com)? Oh, excuse me, here comes my date. She’s a French model…:rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2013, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-have-this-hospital-done-about-a-racist-demand-in-the-nicu/650429/13 "2013-02-16T01:55:09Z")
> [@phouka](#): > > Hmmmm . . . trying to channel my mom here. > > “Your infant’s nurse is a licensed professional and valued staff member. We do not assign staff members based on prejudice or racism. If you have an issue with this, you are welcome to have your child transferred to another hospital, but I can assure you that they have similar policies. If you in any way interfere with our staff members’ duties, you will be removed from the hospital grounds and banned from returning. If you choose to ignore this, you will be arrested, and we will press charges.” > > . . . yeah, that sounds about right. > > RNs do not take shit, and it sounds like the hospital administrators need some new spines and a full set of complementary gonad installations. This is perfect. It should have been read to him word-for-word. That poor kid. ---
**Author:** ![Peanuthead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peanuthead/32/360_2.png) [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2013, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-have-this-hospital-done-about-a-racist-demand-in-the-nicu/650429/14 "2013-02-16T02:14:08Z")
Just like the OP, I’m having a hard time with this too. Whose point of view are we taking? The hospital? - It’s a business with financial obligations. A lawsuit could devastate them. The father? (what happened to the mother?) It’s his child. The Nurse? Did she suffer any damages? (hey, that’s lawyer talk, right?) Or outsiders like us on th SDMB. Speaking as an outsider SDer it is my opinion that the father of the child is a real asshole and has no business fathering children. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2013, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-have-this-hospital-done-about-a-racist-demand-in-the-nicu/650429/15 "2013-02-16T02:21:36Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > I’d be tempted to assure him only Aryan staff would treat his baby, and then page Dr Patel. Very well played, señor. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2013, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-have-this-hospital-done-about-a-racist-demand-in-the-nicu/650429/16 "2013-02-16T02:29:09Z")
Someone in **FLINT** expected the hospital to not have any black staff working on their kid? They only thing crazier than the racist bastard is that they gave in. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2013, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-have-this-hospital-done-about-a-racist-demand-in-the-nicu/650429/17 "2013-02-16T02:40:26Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > Someone in **FLINT** expected the hospital to not have any black staff working on their kid? They only thing crazier than the racist bastard is that they gave in. Perhaps someone that racist would assume that black folk never get into professional jobs like nursing. ---
**Author:** ![ZPG\_Zealot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e47c2d/32.png) [@ZPG\_Zealot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZPG_Zealot)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2013, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-have-this-hospital-done-about-a-racist-demand-in-the-nicu/650429/18 "2013-02-16T02:59:35Z")
> [@huck](#): > > If he had insisted that only curvy blonds care for his baby and shown them a big-bused tattoo, would the hospital have complied? Or maybe if he only wanted motocycle enthusiasts caring for his child, and displayed a “Born to Raise Hell” tat, they would have assigned only bikers to his baby. > > I don’t see any reason to acquiesce in this idiotic request more than other and wonder why the hospital chose to honor it. Probably that their first duty was the safety of the patient who was a premature baby. If they were worried that the racist father would take the baby out of the hospital before it was safe resulting in an infant death, they probably viewed their actions as the lesser of possible evils. Some people actually get concerned about babies dying, or so I’ve been told. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2013, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-have-this-hospital-done-about-a-racist-demand-in-the-nicu/650429/19 "2013-02-16T03:07:09Z")
I am not surprised at all. This is Hurley Hospital, the same organization that runs [Hurley Health and Fitness Center](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=613579), which is the gym that kicked me out for confronting a man parked illegally in handicapped parking who was refusing to move. The illegal parker suffered no punitive consequences while I, a paraplegic who had been a member there for a decade, was permanently banned. This is from an establishment that _purports_ to strive to meet the needs of the ill and physically disadvantaged. ---
**Author:** ![huck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@huck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/huck)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2013, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-have-this-hospital-done-about-a-racist-demand-in-the-nicu/650429/20 "2013-02-16T03:43:20Z")
> [@ZPG\_Zealot](#): > > Probably that their first duty was the safety of the patient who was a premature baby. If they were worried that the racist father would take the baby out of the hospital before it was safe resulting in an infant death, they probably viewed their actions as the lesser of possible evils. Some people actually get concerned about babies dying, or so I’ve been told. But why would they be worried that he would take the baby out of the hospital and endanger its life? At least according to the article, all he had to do to insure that his baby was only tended by white nurses was to ask and show his tat. Also, if he refused necessary treatment for his child based on the color of the nursing staff, the hospital could have (and should have) sought a court order appointing a rational temporary guardian for the child. I would hope there is more explanation for the hospital’s reaction than reported in the story, but I’m missiing the basis for the conclusion that the hospital was protecting the child by honoring this request. Do you know something I don’t? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-have-this-hospital-done-about-a-racist-demand-in-the-nicu/650429.md?page=2)