The PONY youth baseball league knows discrimination doesn't fly in America. It wouldn't dare discriminate against a player on the basis of race, ethnicity or creed.

So why do league officials in Hawai'i insist on discriminating against Justin Tokioka, a deaf 10-year-old Kaua'i boy, by not allowing his parent/interpreter in the dugout?

The only possible explanation is that league officials, like many of us, remain in the past about the rights of the disabled established by law in the American With Disabilities Act. Since 1990, the law has been responsible for making society accessible to the disabled through accommodations such as wheelchair ramps.

But despite such signs that show the law's practical impact, the PONY League situation indicates how a general ignorance still prevails.

More troubling is how the league allowed Justin an interpreter during his Lihu'e team's regular season this summer, but revoked the dugout privilege for the state championship tournament.

PONY League officials had a chance to change the rule in October. But the state board voted against that.

Now, unfortunately, Justin's parents are suing and hoping the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., will crack down on the league. It shouldn't have to come to that.

Gwen Earll, the league's state director, said there's still time for a resolution. Good. After all, the law is loud and clear. In America, we don't discriminate against the hearing impaired.