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JO/TM is printed on recycled newsprint contai_ning 30% post— V consumer and using 100% so -based inks ’ . News january 2002 OITM - 5 Vermont Scouts: Is There Change in the Wind? BY: JUANITA L. LERCH OITM Staff Writer Last summer, the Green Mountain Council of the Boy Scouts of America wrote its first nondiscrimination policy, which unlike the Nationalpolicy permits gay Scouts and Scouts leaders. The V Vermont chapter now has “a' policy of inclusion of all people regardless of their sexual orientation.” V ' This differs from the Boy Scouts’ nation- al organization. Gregg Shields, a spokesman for Boy Scouts of America, said the organization makes no attempt to dis— _ cover a person’s sexual orientation. ButV Shields said if it’s discovered that a Scout or Scout leader is gay “the individual would probably.... not be extended mem- bership.” Mark Noel, Director of the New England Coalition for Inclusive Scouting, said “This is the first time we’ve seen Gregg Shields and other people from National talking in terms‘of ‘probably’ and national making ‘recommendations’ about membership instead of strictly enforcing National’s memberships standards as they have in the past.” Noel went on to say that “This is V encouraging news. But, until a publicly ‘ ’ ‘out’ Scout or Scout leader is accepted, this ~ v issue is not going to be resolved.” _ . The reason for this change, according to . . . ~ ~ T Noel, is “an internal membership turn . . - -- around.” At the Annual Meeting of the Boy Scouts of America in Boston on Junel, 2001, nine major metropolitan councils submitted a resolution, which embodies a policy interpretation that is respectful of differing‘ views, but allows Scouting to move ahead in a less divisive and more positive manner. V V Since the Annual Meeting, awareness of the Proposed Statement has continued to grow across the country. Today there are thirty—seven councils that endorse this resolutionVthat states that discretion for/. membership standards be left to local councils and to local chartering organizations. “Thirty—seven councils out of 506 isn’t great, but it shows a significant movement for change coming from within the ranks of the BSA,”. says Noel. A V — The Boy Scout council has also lost thousands of dollars after the Supreme Court decision, as local governments and nationwide organizations like the United Way have withheld grants, citing nondiscrimination Vpolicies. BSA’s'membership has also been affected by this controversy, especially in the Northeast, which reports a 7.6% decline in their August figures, which is up from the February sta- tistics.’ - V In an interview with this reporter, Mark Noel, NECIS Director, intends to take advantage of these new developments from the Green Mountain Council and the national BSA, by applying for a position with the Green Mountain Council as a Merit Badge Counselor for Rifle and Shotgun -Shooting. Noel is highly qualified for the position, citing numerous certifications from the National Rifle Association and his prior law enforcement experience. A former Eagle Scout and once active Scout Leader, Noel was relieved from his position when he went public with his gay sex- ual orientation. “Quite a few scouters have correctly recognized the religious discrimination that is inherent in forcing acceptance of these membership standards, and many have recognized the negative influence that these highly publicized membership poli- cies have had on-the youth in the program. Change-especially on this scale-is still painfully slow, but progress IS being made,”V,says Mark Noel. C For more information on the New England Coalition for Inclusive Scouting, log on at: www.necis.org or call (603) 387-7731. For the Boy Scouts of America, Green Mountain Council: bttp.-//users.aol.com/gmcbsa or call (802) 244-5189. For tbe Boy Scouts ofAmerica.- bttp.-//bsa.scouting.org Correction In the December issue oVffOiTM, it was,'s_tated;Vthat-VRobert A;§p¢1,: recently appointed as the new executive dirgector of the‘"H1iman RightS'Comn1ission, : was appointed to lead the Hurnan.Rights Campaign. :The Human. Rights Carnpaign _ is another organization that works on human VriVghV_t_sV for VVt_he;,GVLBTVcommuni.V,.‘ V" ty here in Vermont, but notthe organization that V:Mr."VVApp_elV is, now ’dir'ec’t_ling, ‘VV We-apologize for any,-confusion that this may have caused;’_§'§