|
by Robert Barnett
The Boys Scouts of America (BSA) has reaffirmed its longstanding policy of banning open, avowed homosexuals from holding adult leadership positions in the organization, leaving conservative and liberal groups divided on the subject and Twin Cities BSA councils carefully navigating their way through the issue. On February 6, 2002, the BSA’s national executive board in Irving, Texas, said “the Boy Scouts of America shall continue to follow its traditional values and standards of leadership”, saying that “homosexual conduct is inconsistent with the traditional values espoused in the Scout Oath and Law” and that “duty to God is not a mere ideal for those choosing to associate with the Boy Scouts of America; it is an obligation.” according to the official BSA statement. This action was a rejection of three proposed resolutions, put forth at the BSA’s annual national meeting of Scout council representatives in 2001, seeking to liberalize the homosexuality policy. The February statement said the policy is binding on all councils. Back in June 2000, the BSA leadership policy drew national attention when the U.S. Supreme Court handed down a decision in a New Jersey case that upheld the BSA’s right to continue its policy as a private organization, rejecting the argument that the BSA was a public accommodation that could not have such exclusions. “An avowed homosexual is not a role model for Scouts and would be inconsistent with the values we wish to instill,” said Gregg Shields, national spokesman for the BSA in Texas. Shields said the policy bars homosexuals who are open about their homosexuality, and the BSA does not seek to investigate people’s sexual orientation. Spokesmen for both local BSA councils - Viking Council which serves 14 counties including the western Twin Cities metro area, and Indianhead Council which serves 12 counties including the eastern Twin Cities metro area - said their councils follow official BSA policy and that the controversy has burdened their organizations, taxing the councils’ time and resources. Viking Council spokesman John Kuehn refused to discuss where sentiment was among Viking Council leaders on the question of whether BSA should allow open homosexual scout leaders. Current Viking Council President Jo-Marie Dancik and Tom Morgan, recently departed Viking Council president, have both personally signed one of the national resolutions calling for liberalized change in the homosexuality policy. An Indianhead Council statement said the council would continue to have adults with a diversity of ideologies involved in scouting who are held to the highest standards of behavior. “People in our society have varying views on this subject. We’re trying to get out of this huge societal debate and stick to our mission to work with kids,” said Kent York, Indianhead Council spokesman. “We’re in the business of working with kids, of building character not judging character. This is a societal issue, not a scouting issue.” York said Indianhead Council leaders have not had an “internal debate” about the subject, and said he was unaware of where opinion was among council leaders on the question of allowing open homosexual scout leaders. Minnesota Family Council (MFC) president Tom Prichard said MFC welcomes the reaffirmation of BSA policy but is concerned that local council leaders continue to publicly support, albeit individually, changing the policy. “My sense is the local councils are trying to stay out of the issue but they can’t,” Prichard said. “Homosexuality is a definite moral and character issue. And having homosexuals as leaders and role models, is contrary to developing good character.” Liberal groups critical of BSA policy restated their opposition to the latest development. “We’ve strongly opposed their position. We believe all Scouts and Scout leaders should be judged based on their performance in Scouting rather than any inquiry being made into their sexual orientation,” said Jack Stuart, administrator for the St. Paul/Minneapolis chapter of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG). Stuart said some leaders in the Viking and Indianhead councils disagree with the national policy and he interpreted the February action as a “crackdown” on BSA councils that may favor abolishing the restriction. Teresa Nelson, staff legal counsel for the Minnesota Civil Liberties Union (MCLU) in St. Paul, said the MCLU is not involved in the issue and affirms the BSA right to practice this policy in the aftermath of the U.S. Supreme Court decision. Prichard said that while MFC staunchly supports the Boy Scouts, local councils can expect criticism when some of their leaders personally become involved in efforts to reverse the current policy. “While they don’t speak for the council when they voice their personal opinions, these leaders are clearly working to undermine an important policy of the Boy Scouts. Their efforts reflect back negatively on the Scouts, and they’re just asking for more controversy. If they feel personally compelled to publicly oppose the position of the Scouts on this issue, I think they should step down from their official positions.” |
|
Minnesota Family Council / Minnesota Family Institute 2855 Anthony Lane South, Minneapolis MN, 55418-3265 Phone 612.789.8811, FAX 612.789.8858, www.mfc.org |