LETTER FROM BURNSVILLE-EAGAN-SAVAGE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT OF MINNESOTA

Subj: Boy Scouts
Date Fri, 29 Sep 2000 3:41:07 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From: "Gary KUBAT"
To
CC "BENJAMIN KANNINEN"

TO PWTL,

Perhaps you misunderstood the news story about our relationship with the Boy Scouts or are sending generic e-mails to a number of recipients. Let me clarify the facts for you.

- Burnsville-Eagan-Savage Public Schools is an independent school district in Minnesota. Not "a company" as you write. There is an important difference in that we are a PUBLIC ORGANIZATION, not a PRIVATE COMPANY or a PRIVATE ORGANIZATION such as the Boy Scouts. We did not "pull our support for the Boy Scouts of America," as you assert. Working with the Viking Council, we reached a compromise position that allows their PRIVATE ORGANIZATION and our PUBLIC ORGANIZATION to respond accordingly to the Supreme Court ruling.

There have been two minor changes:

We are no longer allowing schools to charter troops or to distribute literature through classrooms. The Scouts are able to purchase mailing labels (at a cost of $10) and mail literature on their own as any other PRIVATE ORGANIZATION is able to do. The Scouts continue to meet in our schools. In addition, we continue to collaborate with the Scouts on an educational enrichment program for older students. We have worked very closely with the Boy Scouts in implementing these minor changes and have received full support and understanding. Interestingly, most of the Boy Scout leaders we have worked with do not agree with the direction the national leadership has taken.

- You are correct when you state the Supreme Court has ruled that the Scouts, as a PRIVATE ORGANIZATION, can exclude whomever they choose. In the State of Minnesota, which is consistently ranked as the best or one of the best states in the country in which to live and raise a family by any number of measures, the LAW (not policy as you state) is that PUBLIC ORGANIZATIONS such as our school district cannot discriminate based on "race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, parental status, status with regard to public assistance, disability, sexual orientation or age." This is what the citizens of Minnesota want and should not be "pressured to conform," as you state.  

- If you consult a dictionary, you will see that "intolerant" is defined as "unwilling to grant or share social, political or professional rights."Our PUBLIC ORGANIZATION is both willing and required to provide access to everyone. As such, I would question your labeling our PUBLIC ORGANIZATION as censoring or being intolerant. By the same definition, a strong argument could be made that you are being intolerant of persons with a sexual orientation other than the one you endorse. But, as an American citizen, it is certainly your right to have your own beliefs and express them however you choose.

We value our relationship with the Scouts and the work they do with our young people here and across the country. It is my belief that our careful and proactive response will serve both our organizations well in the long term.

Gary Kubat
Communications Coordinator
Burnsville-Eagan-Savage Public Schools
gkubat@burnsville.k12.mn.us
952/707-2020
9/29/00 8:37 AM >>>

 

-----Original Message-----

From: Burnsville [mailto:Burnsville.website]

Sent: Thursday, September 28, 2000 5:44 PM

To: Burnsville

Subject: New Burnsville Connect Email

 

Please contact me by email.

pwtl42@aol.com

PWTL EMAIL:

I'm very disappointed that Burnsivlle school district is pulling support for the Boy Scouts of America. If your company has a non-discrimination policy then why is it not broad enough to include "morally straight" boy scouts?

The reasons I see that you should not drop support for them are:

They are not a hate group.

One of the conditions of the free society is that we tolerate groups with which we disagree. Not pull support and pressure them to conform.

The Boy Scouts are at work in communities all across America- distributing food to the poor, recycling, visiting nursing homes and hospitals, teaching kindness and helpfulness to others. They do not condemn those with views that differ from their own. Yet they face relentless attacks because others refuse to respect their views.

The Supreme Court has already ruled that their not wanting to have gay leaders is a protected First Amendment right.

Sexual orientation, nondiscrimination laws and diversity policies have always been about raw power, in order to force acceptance of homosexuality, especially from religious based organizations.

Safety of the children in the scouts should be the main consideration, not the homosexual agenda.

Child sexual molestation is three times more common among homosexuals then among heterosexuals, according to the report, "The proportions of heterosexual and homosexual pedophiles among sex offenders against children in "The Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy," number 1 for 1992

The boy scouts are doing what they feel is in the best interest of our children.

The majority of our population agrees with the boy scouts. During the last 3 years they have grown by 7% to a total of 6.2 million members. The most rapid growth seen in years.

Homosexuality has nothing good to offer boy scouts.

"Withdrawing funds could be harmful to thousands of children." As Mr. Finn from Chase Manhattan Bank has stated.

Boy scouts do numerous community improvement projects that benefit our nation.

It is unfair and extreme to treat the Boy Scouts of America as if it were the Ku Klux Klan.

The homosexual lobby is overplaying its hand by showing such extreme intolerance while purporting to want tolerance. It has no right to try to force itself on the Scouts.

When you look at what the Boy Scouts have been doing for 90 years, you'll see there is a lot of good out there.

If the boy scouts espouse a system of values that will change at the least bit of pressure, then what good are those values?

Kids should not have to pay the price.

The scouts are in the business of serving children, think about who you are serving.

The belief that a homosexual is not a proper role model for our boys is

far from being unreasonable.

We need to put a stop to this nonsense. If we make the protection of therights of every possible minority opinion in America more important than good common sense, we will soon have no set of values or ethics to offer America's youth.

I feel very strongly about this issue and have many friends that feel the same as me. I will be adding your company to my new web page of censors and intolerant organizations. Our culture is destroying our children and I thought you could be counted on! I would like to urge you to reconsider.

Web page http://www.thepwtl.50megs.com

Thank you,

THE PWTL