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Although it advertises itself as a fun youth club open to any boy, Boy Scouts of America has a recent history of blatant discrimination against nonreligious boys. The BSA national office mandates a religious litmus test, forcing the parents of boys interested in joining to sign a "Declaration of Religious Principles" which must be returned with membership fees. The membership form states, "The Boy Scouts of America maintain that no member can grow into the best kind of citizen without recognizing his obligation to God."
Ironically, British Army officer Lord Baden-Powell founded Boy Scouts as an alternative to the only youth programs then available--programs which were run by churches and which forced boys to accept a certain creed. He wanted Scouting to be open to all boys.
BSA has argued it is a private group with the right to discriminate --cruelly--against little boys. But does it have that right?
BSA Wants Public Sponsorship Without Public Accountability
The U.S. Congress chartered Boy Scouts of America in 1916, with the declared purpose of promoting "the ability of boys to do things for themselves and others, to train them in scoutcraft, and to teach them patriotism, courage, self-reliance, and kindred virtues."
There is no mention of a religious purpose, obviously, since our secular U.S. Congress could not have chartered a religious organization. Imagine if the Red Cross, which also has a Congressional charter, demanded to know whether victims of natural disaster believed in God before being willing to help them!
BSA would not be the large, successful group it is today without public sponsorship. It demands the privileges and funding of a public-sponsored organization, but refuses to honor its public duty to be nondiscriminatory in its policies and functions. Among the privileges BSA receives:
The nominal "Commander in Chief" of BSA is the President of the United States.
BSA receives direct federal funding through the Combined Federal Campaign. (Federal employees can get paid leave to fund-raise for CFC groups.)
Its primary recruiters are public school teachers.
It traditionally receives free rental from public schools. Half of all Scout units are directly sponsored by public schools and school boards.
BSA uses local, state and federal buildings, parks and property free of charge or with major fee breaks, such as the rental for the token fee of $1.00 of Ft. Camp Hill, Virginia, for the Boy Scout National Jamboree.
Boy Scouts has been recognized and advertised on U.S. postage stamps. Another major sponsor is the PTA, a group set up to enhance the experiences of all students in the public schools.
Additionally, 25% of BSA's overall funding is from United Way, whose own "Eligibility Criteria for Organizational Membership" (adopted by National Congress, November 30,1972) reads: "Faithfully adheres to a policy of nondiscrimination with respect to age, sex, race, religion, and national origin in connection with the makeup of its governing body, committees, and staff and the persons whom it directly and indirectly serves."
If BSA wants to redefine itself as a private club with a religious test for membership, its Congressional charter, government/public school subsidy, and United Way funding must be dropped. But why would it wish to discriminate?
BSA Deserves "A Merit Badge for Hypocrisy"
So editorialized the Washington Post concerning BSA's claim that it is a private club with the right to discriminate against certain boys, while at the same time relying on public handouts as an ostensibly open organization. The New York Times editorialized on Dec. 12, 1993, in "The Exclusionary Boy Scouts": "Scouting, which inspires a love of nature and respect for character, needs a membership policy as big as all outdoors." If BSA were discriminating against Jewish or African-American boys, there would be a public outcry.
In 1970, BSA issued a new policy: "The recognition of God as the ruling and leading power in the universe and the grateful acknowledgment of His favors and blessings are necessary to the best type of citizenship . . ."
Welsh Case, Illinois--Six Year Old Ostracized
Six year old Mark Welsh of suburban Chicago was handed a flyer in school by his teacher: "Join Tiger Cubs, BSA, & Have Lots of Fun!" The flyer said "any boy . . . can join." His father Elliot Welsh, who had been a Cub Scout, Boy Scout and Explorer Scout like his father before him, accompanied Mark to the meeting in the public school gym. He was told Tiger Cubs requires an adult to join with the child, and to join he had to sign a "Declaration of Religious Principles." When he explained he could not sign it, a BSA official told him nonreligious families could not participate at any level. They left, Mark near tears. The family filed suit in March 1990 in federal court against BSA for violating Title II of Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibiting places of public accommodation from discriminating.
Girl Scouts Take The Lead
Boy Scouts need to learn a lesson from Girl Scouts, which in a landslide 1,560-375 vote on October 23, 1993, adopted a measure to permit any of its 2.6 million members to substitute another word or phrase for "God" in the official pledge. Girl Scout President B. LaRae Orullian made an official statement that the change is "a very strong statement that Girl Scouts continue to be on the cutting edge, and this is a continuing effort to show that we have strength in diversity and that we are an inclusive organization." Too bad Boy Scouts can't say the same!....
Boy Scouts of America openly rejects membership applications by nonreligious parents and boys. BSA has never apologized for the pain it has caused youngsters who have been told "any boy can join," then robbed of the right to have fun with their friends. It has changed its rules midstream, advertising itself as a civic, patriotic club emphasizing fun and skills, then insidiously demanding a religious test. Hard-working, longtime adult volunteers have been summarily expelled for expressing concern over BSA's unkind discrimination.
The time has come for individuals, government, public schools and United Way to stop supporting the bigoted Boy Scouts of America.
© Copyright 1994 by Annie Laurie Gaylor
Freedom From Religion Foundation, Inc.
PO Box 750
Madison WI 53701
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