Barred From Pageant, Mother, 17, Claims Bias

A 17-year-old girl who was disqualified from a beauty pageant because she has a baby charged Wednesday that she is a victim of discrimination because of her choice not to have an abortion.

Jamie Schaible, a high school senior, was disqualified from last Sunday’s Miss San Marcos pageant, a qualifying competition for a countywide pageant called the Fairest of the Fair.

Rules for that pageant stipulate that a contestant be female, have never been married and not be a mother. The winner presides at San Diego County’s annual fair.

In a letter to pageant officials, Schaible said she was discriminated against because she chose against having an abortion.

“I was raised that you take hold of your responsibilities,” she said. “If you make a mistake, you deal with it. That’s what I did.”

Schaible said she will keep filing complaints with contest officials unless she is declared eligible to compete next year. She said she will also consider filing a lawsuit, but does not think she can afford a legal battle.

Fran Scarborough, director of the Fairest of the Fair pageant, said she was sympathetic, but noted that the pageant follows guidelines set up by the Miss California USA and Miss USA pageants. The Fairest of the Fair winner is encouraged to enter the Miss California USA pageant.

“I really admire this girl for not aborting this child. I’m a good Catholic myself,” Scarborough said.

Scarborough also said it would be impossible for a mother of a young child to fulfill the responsibilities of the contest winner. But Schaible said she should have the right to decide whether she could handle a beauty queen’s schedule.