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Provided by the Lambda Legal Education and Defense Fund
Dissociating from Discrimination:
Public entities, organizations, and corporations choosing to teach
respect for all kids
Ever since James Dale first challenged the Boy Scouts of America (BSA)
for his expulsion, Americans have expressed their outrage at BSA's
prejudiced policy. In the time since the U.S. Supreme Court narrowly
ruled that the Scouts have a right to discriminate, the public reaction
has only grown stronger. Scores of religious organizations,
corporations, schools and others have stopped sponsoring, funding, and
giving special treatment to BSA; many more have publicly called on BSA
to end its discriminatory practices. The following is a list of some of
those who have stood up and opposed the Scouts' policy, both before and
since the Supreme Court decision.
Public Schools
* New York
* Chicago
* Santa Barbara
* Oakland
* San Diego
* San Francisco
* Minneapolis
* Tucson: Sunnyside Schools
* Sacramento: Davis Joint Unified Schools
* San Jose: Alum Rock Union Schools
* Ft. Lauderdale: Broward County Schools
* Oak Park, IL: Beye Elementary School
* Framingham, MA
* Taunton, MA: Edmund Hatch Bennett Elementary School (1 school)
* Burnsville, MN: Burnsville-Eagan-Savage Schools
* Chapel Hill, NC: Chapel Hill-Carrboro Schools
* Keene, NH
* East Hampton, NY
* Kimball Elementary School, Seattle, WA
* Barre Town, VT
* Jamestown, NY: Jamestown Community College
Public Entities
* Chicago
* Ft.Lauderdale
* Miami Beach
* Tucson
* San Diego, CA police department
* Santa Clara, CA sheriff's department
* West Palm Beach police department
* Wilton Manors, FL
* Los Angeles: City and police department are reviewing their ties to
BSA
* Santa Barbara county: No longer gives preferential treatment to Scouts
in the use of city facilities
* Princeton, NJ borough council: Denied local troop use of borough-owned
space for a fundraising event
Corporate and Charitable Foundations
* Connecticut State Employee Campaign Committee
* CVS Corp.
* J. P. Morgan & Co., Inc.
* Klehr, Harrison, Harvey, Branzburg & Ellers
* Knight-Ridder, Inc.
* Levi Strauss & Co.
* Medtronic, Inc.
* The Philadelphia Foundation
* Portland General Electric
* The Providence Journal Co.
* Textron, Inc.
* Wells Fargo & Co.: Cut funding to BSA in 1992, although it altered
policy in 1998 after a merger to allow individual bank presidents to
make decisions regarding BSA contributions
* Novell, Inc.: No longer does dollar-for-dollar matching of employee
donations to BSA; now only matches employees' donations to United Way
Religious Groups
* National: The Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism issued a
statement calling on Jewish families and synagogues to sever ties with
BSA, calling the Scout policy incompatible with the organization's
beliefs.
* National: Board of Church and Society of the United Methodist Church
stated that BSA's policy of denying membership based entirely on sexual
orientation conflicts with the social principles of the denomination.
* National: The Episcopal General Convention passed a resolution
encouraging BSA to allow adult leaders to serve regardless of their
sexual orientation.
* National: Unitarian Universalist Association after the decision
release: "We call upon the Boy Scouts of America to end their
discrimination against gays...."
* Chapel Hill, NC: Olin T. Binkley Memorial Baptist Church ended its
39-year sponsorship of two BSA groups in protest of the BSAâs policy
* Oak Park, IL: Cornerstone Church had its application to charter a Boy
Scout troop rejected because the church stated that it refuses to comply
with the BSAâs anti-gay policy
* Palm Beach, FL: Two Jewish Community Centers - the Kaplan JCC and the
Adolph and Rose Levis JCC - ended sponsorship of BSA troops in protest
of the anti-gay policy.
* Denver, CO: Temple Emanuel has informed BSA that troops may no longer
meet in its synagogue, and the Temple's Rabbi Steven Foster returned his
Boy Scout badges
* Denver, CO: Washington Park United Church of Christ ended its 60-year
association with BSA with a "seperation ceremony" due to the anti-gay
policy.
* Madison, WI: Orchard Ridge United Church of Christ ended its
sponsorship of a troop because of the BSA's policy.
* East Brunswick, NJ: Temple B'nai Shalom ended its affiliation with two
Boy Scout groups in protest of the BSA's policy.
* Coral Gables, FL: Temple Judea voted to sever ties with its
49-year-old Boy Scout troop because of the BSA's policy
* Taunton, MA: Union Congregational Church, a United Church of Christ
congregation, announced that it will no longer sponsor a Scout troop or
give them meeting space in protest of the BSA's policy.
* Golden Valley, MN: Breck School, an Episcopal institution in, said it
would no longer sponsor a Cub Scout pack that includes its students,
because "the Boy Scouts' policy of exclusion is in direct conflict with
Breck's fundamental values of diversity and inclusion."
* Ocean Township, NJ: St. Anselm's Roman Catholic Church has drawn up a
policy requiring groups that use its facilities must include everyone,
regardless of sexual orientation or other distinctions.
* Norman, OK: St. Andrews United Methodist Church discontinued its
charter relationship with Cub Scout Pack 70 in August.
* Squirrel Hill, NJ: St. Edmund's Academy, a nondenominational school
with Episcopal roots, announced in January 2001 that it would no longer
sponsor a Cub Scout pack unless the BSA changes its anti-gay policy.
United Way Chapters
* Valley of the Sun, AZ (Tempe)
* San Francisco, CA
* Santa Clara, CA
* Santa Cruz, CA
* Silicon Valley, CA (San Jose/Silicon Valley)
* Northern Fairfield County, CT (Danbury)
* Norwalk & Wilton, CT
* Westport-Weston, CT
* Orange, Osceola, and Seminole Counties, FL
* Evanston, IL
* Monroe County, IN (Bloomington)
* Massachusetts Bay, MA
* Fox Cities, WI
* Northern Berkshire, MA (five cities in northern Massachusetts and one
in Vermont)
* Hampshire County, MA
* Portland, ME
* Allegan County, MI
* Greater Duluth, MN
* Monadnock, NH (Southwestern New Hampshire)
* Essex/West Hudson, NJ
* Somerset County, NJ
* Santa Fe, NM
* Tucson and Southern Arizona
* Palm Beach, FL
* Snohomish County, WA (Everett)
* Whatcom County, WA (Bellingham)
* Greater Winona, MN
* Jackson County, OR (Medford): Is cutting funding to BSA 15% every year
until the discriminatory policy ends
* Westchester and Putnam Counties, NY: Restricting funding to the BSA's
Learning for Life program
* Southeastern PA (Philadelphia): Restricting funding to the BSA's
Learning for Life program
* New Haven, CT: Gives money to BSA if donors request it, but no longer
gives unrestricted funds
* Heart of Florida (Orlando): No longer gives money automatically to
BSA; donors must specifically request it
* Broward County, FL: No longer gives money automatically to BSA; donors
must specifically request it
* Faribault, MN: Allows donors to exclude organizations like BSA from
receiving their money
* Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN: Allows donors to exclude organizations like
BSA from receiving their money
* California Capitol Region, CA (Sacramento): Requires all organizations
being funded to adhere to a nondiscrimination policy
* Moscow-Latah County, WA: Requires all organizations being funded to
adhere to a nondiscrimination policy
* Merrimack County, NH: Requires all organizations being funded to
adhere to a nondiscrimination policy
* Seacoast, NH: Requires all organizations being funded to adhere to a
nondiscrimination policy
* Southeastern New England (RI, parts of MA & CT): Requires all
organizations being funded to adhere to a nondiscrimination policy
* Bay County, MI (Bay City): Requires all organizations being funded to
adhere to a nondiscrimination policy
* Southeastern New England (RI, parts of MA & CT): Requires all
organizations being funded to adhere to a nondiscrimination policy
* King County, WA (Seattle and surrounding area): Restricting funding to
the BSA's Learning for Life program
* Pierce County, WA (Tacoma): Has given BSA until June 2003 to come up
with a plan to adhere to its nondiscrimination policy
Individual BSA Groups Opposing Anti-Gay Policy
* Leaders of the BSA councils of New York City; Los Angeles; Chicago;
West Los Angeles; Orange County, California; San Francisco;
Philadelphia; Minneapolis; and Boston: At the Scouts' national meeting,
these leaders proposed that the Scouts allow churches, schools, and
other chartering organizations to decide for themselves whether to have
gay scout members and leaders.
* Greater New York Councils of the Boy Scouts of America: In a hearing
of the New York City Council, council officials testified, "We firmly
believe that anyone of any sexual orientation can live up to [Boy Scout]
standards," vowing to try to convince the BSAâs national offices to
change its policy.
* Oak Park, IL: Seven Cub Scout packs were expelled from Scouting in
January after they informed BSA that they could not comply with the
anti-gay policy because it conflicted with city ordinances and school
policies that ban discrimination based on sexual orientation.
* Piedmont, CA, Piedmont Council: Has informed BSA that it intends to
defy the BSA's policy
* Madison, WI, Cub Scout Pack 302: Has informed BSA of its opposition to
the anti-gay policy; has been warned that its charter may be revoked
*Four Lakes Council (Wisconsin): Adopted resolution asking the national
organization to change its anti-gay membership policy
* Richmond, CA, Sea Explorers: Has its own non-discrimination policy, in
defiance of the BSA's stance
* San Jose, CA, Troop 260: Has its own non-discrimination policy, in
defiance of the BSA's stance
* Westwood, CA Cub Scout Pack 34: Has vowed to defy the policy and is
considering forming a new group separate from BSA
* Boston, MA, Minutemen Council: Has its own non-discrimination policy,
in defiance of the BSA's stance
* Ann Arbor, MI, Cub Scout Pack 33: Adoped its own non-discrimination
policy; when told by local BSA council they couldnât do that, the pack
dis-affiliated and became a Camp Fire Boys and Girls group
* St. Paul, MN, Indian Head Council: Passed a resolution asking BSA to
reconsider its policy
* Montclair, NJ, Cub Scout Pack 5: Parents protested the policy with a
petition
* Binghamton, NY, Baden-Powell Council: Passed a resolution asking BSA
to reconsider its policy
* Ashland, OR, Cub Scout Den 2 of Pack 320: Withdrew from BSA in protest
of the policy
* Providence, RI, Narragansett Council: Has twice asked BSA to
reconsider its policy
* Providence, RI, Cub Scout Pack 88: Den leaders announced that they
will defy the BSA's policy
* Providence, RI, Boy Scout Troop 28: Sent a letter to its council
announcing that it will defy the BSA's policy
Other Select Actions Being Taken
* Spurred by opposition to BSA's anti-gay policy, the American Medical
Association adopted a resolution stating that youth groups should lift
bans on membership for gay youth because these bans contribute to
anxiety and depression among gay youth and are bad public health policy;
* The Rhode Island Medical Society adopted a resolution saying that the
Boy Scouts' anti-gay membership policy increases the likeliness of gay
youth to be depressed and to commit suicide. At the annual American
Medical Association (AMA) meeting this year, the organization urged the
AMA to adopt a similar resolution that would apply to all youth
organizations.
* Oscar-winning filmmaker Steven Spielberg stepped down from an advisory
board of the BSA in April of 2001, stating, "The last few years in
Scouting have deeply saddened me to see the Boy Scouts of America
actively and publicly participating in discrimination. Itâs a real
shame."
* John Archer, longtime philanthropist and activist in Salem, MA, cut
ties with the BSA over its discriminatory policy.
* Michael R. Bloomberg, founder and chief executive of Bloomberg, L.P.,
spoke out against the BSA's policy of discrimination while being
inducted into the Eagle Scout Hall of Fame in November of 2000
* Justice James R. Lambden of the California State Court of Appeals has
cut his ties with BSA, saying the group's policy is unacceptable and
raises ethical questions for all California judges
* New York State Assemblyman Fred Thiele declined to accept the Boy
Scouts' invitation to be honored at a dinner because of the BSA policy
* Curtis Hainds, an Eagle Scout who was a member of the Order of the
Arrow and was named American Legion Eagle Scout of the Year for the
state of Missouri in 1992, resigned in 1999 because of the BSA policy
* Rabbi Paul Menitoff, Executive Director of the Central Conference of
American Rabbis, esigned his Eagle Scout rank and Order of the Arrow
status in protest of the policy
* Frank Edward Allen, head of the Institutes for Journalism and National
Resources and an Eagle Scout since 1962, and his eldest son Zachary, an
Eagle Scout since 1993, turned in their medals in protest of the policy
* Gary Levitz, a major donor to the United Way of Johnson County, IA,
resigned as campaign chairman of the United Way because of the agency's
support of BSA, stating that United Way promotes anti-gay discrimination
by supporting the Scouts.
* National Education Association Representative Assembly adopted July
2000: "NEA will urge state and local affiliates to work with school
boards to establish policies requiring that all
private organizations using school facilities have non-discriminatory
membership policies"
* Communications Workers of America cut off ties to BSA and issued an
Executive Board Resolution stating, "Teaching intolerance is a very poor
lesson for our youth... CWA calls upon its local unions and members to
refrain from supporting or participating in activities of the Boy
Scouts."
* Triangle Community Works, a nonprofit organization serving the gay and
lesbian population in Chapel Hill, NC, refused to accept contributions
from its local United Way because it continues to support the BSA.
* Charlotte HIV/AIDS People Support, an AIDS agency in Port Charlotte,
FL, announced in November of 2000 that it will not accept contributions
from a BSA food drive due to the Scouts' discrimination
* Evergreen AIDS Foundation in Bellingham, WA announced that it would no
longer accept funds from its local United Way because it also funded
BSA; shortly thereafter, the local United Way amended its
anti-discrimination policy
* Parris N. Glendening, Governor of Maryland, voiced his opposition to
BSA policy in a letter to the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender
Community Center of Baltimore and Central Maryland
* Former President Bill Clinton, in an interview with The Advocate,
publicly stated his feelings on the BSA's policy: "I think the policy is
wrong... I believe they'll change, and I think we should keep working on
them."
* Syracuse University no longer will allow the Boy Scouts' Boy Power
fund-raiser to take place on the campus. The University's Chancellor
said that he could not allow the Boy Scouts to raise money that would
further BSA's policies, which include exclusion based on sexual
orientation.
Alternatives to the Boy Scouts: Youth Organizations That Do Not
Discriminate
* Boys and Girls Clubs of America, www.bgca.org
* National 4-H Council, www.fourhcouncil.edu
* Camp Fire Boys and Girls, www.campfire.org
* Center for Youth as Resources, www.yar.org
* Girl Scouts, www.gsusa.org
* Jewish Community Centers, www.jcca.org
* YMCA, www.ymca.net
Source: Various news reports
Last updated: 6/15/01
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