Scouting for All

Scouting for All is an American advocacy organization. It is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose stated purpose is to promote tolerance and diversity within the Boy Scouts of America in the face of its policies requiring members to be heterosexuals who believe in God.

History

Initially founded in 1993 by Scouter Dave Rice and a committee including Mike Cahn, Bob Smith, Ken McPherson and Don Henry, Scouting for All was relatively inactive for its first few years.

In 1997, the effort was galvanized by a letter to the editor written by 13-year old Life Scout Steven Cozza, who later went on to earn the rank of Eagle Scout. The heterosexual young man criticized the BSA's policies and pointed out potential contradictions between those policies and the organization's own governing Scout Oath and Scout Law. He called upon the organization to reexamine its policies and invited others in the organization who agreed with him to contact him so they could all work together to effect the desired policy changes. According to the organization's current literature, Dave Rice, Steven Cozza and Steven's father, Scott Cozza are considered the co-founders of the reinvigorated Scouting for All.

ee also

*Boy Scouts of America membership controversies
*Boy Scouts of America
*Coalition for Inclusive Scouting

External links

* [http://www.religioustolerance.org/bsa.htm Religious Tolerance's Page on the BSA]
* [http://www.scoutingforall.org/ Scouting for All]

References