Scouting For All Supporters Write Letters to the University of Washington Results in the UW Dropping Boy Scout Night

Dear Mr. Johnson:

President McCormick asked me to respond on his behalf to your e-mail message. As part of my responsibilities, I provide oversight of and liaison to the athletic department for the President's Office.

As part of its effort to encourage youth in our community to attend Husky athletic events, the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics has for many years promoted group ticket sales to a variety of youth groups, including Boys and Girls Clubs, Camp Fire Girls, Girls Scouts, and Boy Scouts. As part of this effort, the department produced a flyer designating the March 8 game against USC as Boy Scout Night. This was done as a matter of course, without adequate reflection on the recent controversy about the Scouts' exclusion of gay men and boys.

The University is opposed to any form of discrimination against individuals or groups, including that based on sexual orientation. Given the fact that the flyer was distributed, however, we also do not think it wise to embroil the youth in our community who participate in scouting in a controversy over ticket sales. So, we are continuing to offer group ticket sales to games, but without the promotional aspect related to the March 8 game. We will not have a Boy Scout night. We will, however, admit Boy Scout troops who wish to purchase group tickets, as we do any such group.

I appreciate your writing and expressing your concerns.


Sincerely,


Norman G. Arkans
Special Assistant to the President