By MIKE KRAFCIK
6 News Reporter
KNOXVILLE (WATE) - It's a controversial topic that has a lot of people talking - breast-feeding in public.
Last week, a nursing mother was asked to cover up while breast-feeding at Knoxville's World's Fair Park. In response, a group of mothers organized a "nurse-in" Sunday evening at the park.
Cassandra Walker hopes Sunday's nurse-in will change some attitudes toward breast-feeding.
"I think having the nurse-in is a good expression of the breast-feeding in Knoxville and the country itself," Walker said.
It was just last week when Walker was told to stop breast-feeding by a World's Fair Park patrolman after another woman complained.
"I feed out in public whenever she's hungry. I had a park patrol gentleman come up to me and tell me I could not breast-feed in the park," she said.
Walker said she had refused and said it was within her rights to nurse her baby anywhere. She said the patrolman called his "boss" and got confirmation that she was not allowed to nurse the baby.
Under Tennessee state law, a mother has a right to breast-feed her child in any location, public or private, where the mother and child are otherwise authorized to be present. The Public Building Authority (PBA) manages the park.
Jesse Mayshark, the City of Knoxville Communication Manager said the PBA is aware of the incident and expressed regret for the situation. He said the PBA has reminded its employees about the laws regarding breast-feeding and added that PBA is planning a training session about the laws for all of its employees.
The East Tennessee Breastfeeding Coalition also spoke with the PBA.
"They were very apologetic and they expressed it was their lack of understanding, they didn't know the law existed. So, they didn't know," said Sherri Hedberg, with the East Tennessee Breastfeeding Coalition.
The Coalition helps to help educate and train employers and the public to understand breast-feeding laws.
"They don't know what the expectations are, so when a mother is nursing somewhere and she's approached then they don't understand she has the right to nurse and she's protected by the law," said Hedberg.
Before last year, state law only allowed public breast-feeding until the child was a year old. A law passed in 2011 allows mothers to nurse publicly beyond that age limit.
The first week of August is World Breast-Feeding Week.
Under Tennessee state law, a mother has a right to breast-feed her child in any location, public or private, where the mother and child are otherwise authorized to be present.
