This one falls under the category of "You have GOT to be kidding me!"

For several days in early September, supervisors at Abington Memorial Hospital told African American employees to stay out of a patient's room after a man ordered that no blacks assist in the delivery of his child.

Despite a hospital policy stating that "care will be provided on a nondiscriminatory basis," maternity ward staffers accommodated the man's wishes.

The decision offended many employees and prompted hospital president Richard L. Jones Jr. to issue a statement calling the situation "morally reprehensible."

Hospital vice president Meg McGoldrick said the problems began when a pregnant woman's husband insisted that only white employees could enter his wife's room.

"The staff informed our African American employees that there was a volatile situation, and they suggested that they not interact with the family," she said. "In some cases, they actually told employees that they probably ought not to go into the room."



http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/6919504.htm

Good lord!
First of all, accommodating this kind of idiocy is ridiculous and the hospital administration seriously needs to realise that.
The worst thing is that poor child is going to be indoctrinated with that kind of idiocy.

While yes, I absolutely agree that the guy was a complete inbred moron who should be taken out back and whacked on the head with a tack hammer to save his child a lifetime of embarassment, it was probably the best of a couple of bad options.

Hospitals cannot, by law, refuse treatment to anyone who comes in the doors. They couldn't throw the guy and his wife out (I don't know if the wife was an idiot as well or just him), and the potential for trouble and violence was likely great enough that just accomodating his ridiculous demands was easier than any other option.

Was it racist of the guy? Hell yes. Was it racist of the hospital? No, they were stuck between a rock and a hard place.

I think that the hospital really had no viable option other than to meet these ridiculous demands. The guy is clearly a moron and I have no doubt that if his wishes hadn't been met he would have resorted to violence. I think the hospital really had no other choice since (as Cephus said) they aren't able to refuse treatment to anyone. I really feel sorry for the kid that's going to have to grow up in that household.

I agree with Cephus on this one. I believe that the hospital was acting in the best interest of the staff. This man was clearly belligerent and potentially dangerous to any minority nurse or doctor.