BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA Some Important Dates Relating to Discrimination

1908 Independent Scout troops organize using British handbook

1910 BSA incorporated, hires first Chief Scout Executive; men and boys only are registered

1911 First Handbook for Boys is written, revising Scout Oath to include ³physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight², and Scout Law to include ³Brave, Clean, and Reverent²)

1911 Campfire Girls organized

1911 or 1912 First statement of what becomes the ³Declaration of Religious Principle²

1912 BSA requires Scoutmasters to be certified by three adult male citizens as to their character and ability. Confidential file is started listing undesirable volunteers.

1912 Girl Scouts organized

1913 Sponsoring institution (now called chartered organization) is required for all troops; some ³community troops² are sponsored by ³groups of citizens²

1914 Troop committees are required; main responsibility is appointing Scoutmasters

1916 BSA is chartered by Congress

1917 BSA constitution includes the Declaration of Religious Principle

1926 Laura Spellman Rockefeller Foundation funds efforts to recruit Negroes and form Negro troops

1929 Experimental Cubbing program

1930 Cubbing (now Cub Scouting) launched, includes women serving as Den Mothers

1935 Senior Scouting (later Explorer Scouting, later Exploring) launched Women may register as Den Mothers only

1946 Cub Scouting mushrooms

1956 Cub Scouting surpasses Boy Scouting in membership

1969 Girls admitted to Exploring; women may serve as associate Explorer advisors (I remember this as after 1970)

1970s Women admitted to all positions except Cubmaster, Webelos leader, Scoutmaster, and their assistants

1974 First case (I can recall) of a girl trying to join a Scout troop (Jay Mechling reports this as happening in 1991)

1978-79 BSA permits developmentally disabled Scouts extra time to advance in Scout rank to Eagle Scout after they turn 18.

1978 First BSA memo giving rationale for excluding gays

1980 Tim Curran, Berkeley, California is dismissed from Scouting, the first dismissal for being gay; in 1982 he sues BSA under California law

1980s BSA prepares rationale for policy excluding gays, citing ³traditional family values,² ³moral role model,² Scout Law, ³A Scout is Clean,² and Scout Oath, ³Morally straight;² These four appear in subsequent position papers, briefing documents, and court testimony

1985 Paul Trout, Charlottesville, Virginia, is expelled because he does not believe in God as a Supreme Being; he is later reinstated

1988 BSA opens all positions to women, after winning all lawsuits by women wanting to become Scoutmasters, at a cost of $11 million annually

1991 Michael and William Randall, Anaheim, California, sue after being denied membership for atheist beliefs

1992 First known unit statement on inclusiveness, by Troop 260 of San Jose, receives media attention

1992 James Dale is dismissed for being gay, sues BSA

1992 San Francisco Bay Area United Way and several corporations defund local BSA councils over homosexual issue

1992 First explanation to the field of BSA policy excluding gays, in Scouting magazine

1993 First unsuccessful steps to organize Scouting for All

1994-98 Scout Leaders such as Dave Rice testify in three cases against BSA policy

1997 Steven Cozza writes his letter to the editor. Says the BSA isn't following its own Scout Oath and Law when it discriminates against gays. This leads to the formation of Scouting for All, a Nonprofit in 1998 and a national grassroots movement throughout the United States and internationally.

1998 Steven Cozza starts petition drive and holds first press conference announcing the establishment of Scouting for All.

1998 Scouting for All organized and incorporated. Becomes a 501c-3 charitable nonprofit

1998 Dave Rice dismissed by BSA because of his advocacy of inclusive Scouting

1998 Tim Curran loses before California Supreme Court

1998 Michael and William Randall lose case over dismissal because of agnostic beliefs before California Supreme Court; nevertheless they achieve Eagle Scout

1998 James Yeaw¹s daughter abandons lawsuit over joining Scouting

1998 Steven's father, Scott Cozza kicked out of his Scout Troop as an assistant scout master

1999 Steven Cozza at 13 receives the rank of Eagle after the BSA made it extremely difficult for him to receive.

1999 Scott and Steven Cozza attempt to form their own scout troop with the United Church of Christ as its chartering organization. BSA denies the troop, stating, "Scott Cozza was not to associate with any scout unit." The UCC was
denied its charter. Scott Cozza is blackballed from scouting for his belief of inclusion in scouting.

1999 Steven doesn't renew his membership because his father was kicked out. He continues to opposes the BSA policy through his efforts in Scouting for All

1999 Resolution calling for an end to discrimination based on sexual orientation is introduced at BSA National Council meeting

1999 Unitarian Universalist Association is denied the right to present their ³Learning for Life² award to Scouts because of stands on sexuality and atheism

2000 James Dale loses before US Supreme Court

2002 Scouting for All organizes a national protest to the Supreme Court decision. This leads to the establishment of Scouting for All's National Rally Week, recognizing gay and atheist scouts and all gay and atheist youth.

2002 Scouting for All establishes the Scouting for All Alliance for Human Rights in its attempt to network efforts in opposition to the BSA nationally and internationally.

2001 Scouting magazine publishes justification for policy to the field

2001 Nine councils introduce resolution at National Council meeting calling for an end to discrimination based on sexual orientation

2001 Local councils begin adopting policy statements on discrimination, to be completed by 2002

2002 Boy Scouts of America first ever official document, a resolution denouncing gays and atheists in Scouting