March 22, 2006
Scouting for All

Contact
Scott Cozza, President
Email: cozzahived@aol.com
Phone: (707) 778-0564
Web site: http://www.scoutingforall.org/

Larry G. Sherman, Ph.D.
Scouting for All
Southern Regional Director
Email: Lsherman@scoutingforall.org


Scouting for All Asks That The Boy Scouts of America Be Investigated for Possible Improprieties of Funds Directed to Its Learning for Life Program

The Boy Scouts of America is involved in possible unethical and illegal business dealings again. Wewitnessedthis in AL, GA and TX - falsifying membership numbers to secure additional funding. Now Scouting for All, after careful review of public documents believes the Boy Scouts of America should be investigated again.

The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) is actually two nonprofit corporations. The National Council operates the Traditional Scouting Program (which bars homosexuals and atheists from membership). Learning for Life, Inc. operates the Learning for Life Program (a classroom program for disadvantaged youth) and the Exploring Program (a career awareness program for high school-age youth). Learning for Life does not practice discrimination in its programs. The BSA claims that these two corporations are separate financial entities. We believe that this is not the case based on information gathered from public sources. Public records suggest that the majority of revenues generated by Learning for Life, Inc. is diverted into the membership accounts of the National Council. Revenues generated by Learning for Life, Inc. corresponded to nearly 70% of the total revenues supporting the National Council and its Traditional Scouting Program in 2003. Learning for Life, a nondiscriminatory organization, is supporting the Traditional Scouting Program, which practices discrimination. A more detailed documentation of this issue can be found on the http://www.scoutingforall.org/ web site under our STOP FUNDING the BSA menu.

Many United Way Chapters throughout the country have denied funding to the BSA's Traditional Scouting Program and have redirected donations to be used "only for the BSA's Learning for Life program". It seems evident, based on our research, that the BSA National Council is diverting Learning for Life funds to traditional scouting programs, including paying its Chief Scout Executive Roy Williams his salary.

Scouting for All believes that in the best interest of the Boy Scouts of America and in the spirit reflected in both the Scout Oath and Law that this issue needs to be investigated, and, if improprieties are found, then, the current leadership of the BSA in Irving, Texas should step down. Scouting for All also believes that tax payer monies from local, state and federal agencies should not be granted to any organization that discriminates against any American, in this case the homosexual and atheist communities. We also ask businesses and United Way chapters that have anti-discrimination policies not to donate to any organization that is in violation of those anti-discrimination policies. And those United Ways who have redirected funding to the Boy Scouts of America's Learning for Life program because the Traditional Scouting Program discriminates against gay and atheist youth and adults should question BSA National leadership in Irving, Texas, to seeif L4L donations are actually being used "Only" for L4L and not used in addition for its traditional scouting program?

Aninvestigation of the Boy Scouts of Americais now beingcalled for by Scouting for All.

*Scouting for All is a 501©) (3) charitable, nonprofit organization, who believes in Scouting NOT discrimination, who's volunteerteam is made uplargely ofEagle Scouts and prior BSA membersand that undertakes educational activities and outreach programs opposing BSA's intolerance and discrimination. These include maintaining our Internet web site, http://www.scoutingforall.org/; providing consultations to BSA members, religious groups, governmental bodies, schools, businesses and the United Way; providing support to Gay-Straight Alliance Clubs in high schools; organizing protests at BSA events, including its annual BSA National Council meeting; participating in gay-pride events; providing support to gay and atheist or nontheistic scouts and leaders; creating and distributing literature from Scouting for All; speaking at national and regional conferences, including PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) and the NGLTF (National Gay and Lesbian Task Force); organizing our Annual National Recognition of GLBT Youth and Gay and Atheist Scout Month in October, which includes rallies, fund-raisers and celebrations for GLBT youth; and coordinating Scouting for All's Alliance for Human Rights. Tax-deductible financial contributions can be made on our web site, http://www.scoutingforall.org/.