Father sues Boy Scouts of America saying son with Down syndrome was stripped of badges

Ashley May | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption Boy Scout with Down syndrome not stripped of merit badges Boy Scouts of America released a statement saying there are misconceptions about a Utah boy with Down syndrome who was on the path to Eagle Scout rank. Veuer's Chandra Lanier has the story.

A Utah father is suing the Boy Scouts of America and the Utah National Parks Council after his son, who has Down syndrome, wasn't allowed to complete his Eagle Project.

Logan Blythe, a 15-year-old Utah boy with Down syndrome, had been participating in Boy Scouts for several years, when his Eagle Project was suddenly suspended, according to his father's Salt Lake City-based attorney Edward McBride.

Last November, the Blythe family received an email from the district advancement committee telling Logan to stop working on his project, because previously agreed to modifications would not be accepted. The boy's badges were also taken away, McBride said. Those with a physical or mental disability are eligible for Eagle Scout Rank Merit Badges only if they've been approved through a formal application. Badges can only be awarded when "all requirements are met," according to the Boy Scouts' website.

"This is the very definition of discrimination," Logan's father, Chad Blythe said in a video statement posted to YouTube.

More: Federal judge blocks Ohio's ban on abortions after Down syndrome diagnosis

More: First baby with Down syndrome wins Gerber baby of the year

Chad filed a suit March 13 asking for $1 and for Logan to be reinstated in the Boy Scouts.

"We are hopeful that this suit raises public awareness of his treatment so that others similarly situated don’t face the same shame and disappointment that this has caused Logan and his family," McBride said.

Down syndrome presents differently in each individual, according to the National Down Syndrome Society. Meaning, developmental delays and intellectual limitations differ between those diagnosed with an extra copy of chromosome 21.

“Logan should be allowed to do what he can to the best of his ability to qualify for a given merit badge due to his mental disabilities," Chad said.

Following a USA TODAY request, the Boy Scouts did not immediately provide a comment.

UPDATE: Boy Scout with Down syndrome wasn't stripped of merit badges, path to Eagle Scout rank, group says

The organization, which was founded in 1910, announced last October would allow young girls to join, saying the move was critical to meet family's needs.

Follow Ashley May on Twitter: @AshleyMayTweets