Schools Pay for Boy Scout Recruiting (ACLU sticks it to the Portland public schools - My Title)

http://www.kgw.com/news-local/stories/kgw_0713_news_boyscout_recruiting.cdc66e62.html ^ | 07/13/2002 | By AP Staff

[fortress]

Schools Pay for Boy Scout Recruiting 07/13/2002

By AP Staff

Portland schools and state officials have been ordered to pay more than $100,000 to lawyers who successfully argued that the district discriminated against atheists by allowing the Boy Scouts to recruit during school hours.

Multnomah County Circuit Judge Ellen Rosenblum said state Superintendent Stan Bunn, the Oregon Department of Education and Portland Public Schools must pay $108,000 to the American Civil Liberties Union. The ACLU took up the case on behalf of an atheist whose 12-year-old son was subjected to recruiting pitches at school.

David Fidanque, executive director of the state chapter of the ACLU, said the judge's award is among the largest ever granted to his group. Legal fees will climb if the case continues to be appealed, he said.

Rosenblum handed down the discrimination ruling in December. It has since been appealed.

"The case was taken on a contingency fee basis, without any certainty of fees and a sacrifice of other fee-generating work," Rosenblum wrote this week. "The fees awarded are consistent with those customarily charged for similar legal services in the community."

Kevin Neely, a spokesman for Oregon Attorney General Hardy Myers, said the state may appeal the monetary award in addition to the discrimination case.

Lew Frederick, a district spokesman, said the district has no plans to change its policy on Boy Scouts and expects them to recruit this fall as they have in the past.

The ACLU filed the lawsuit on behalf of Remington Powell and his mother, Nancy, saying Portland public schools were violating a state law that prohibits religious discrimination by allowing the recruiters to work during the school day.

Both Remington and his mother are atheists. Atheism is banned by the Boy Scouts.

The Powells' case against the school district goes back to 1996, when Remington Powell, then 6, was among first-graders who were given a presentation on scouting during their lunch hour.

Remington testified during the trial that he was fascinated by the Boy Scouts and was devastated to learn he couldn't join the group because he was an atheist. He said most other boys joined, including three of his close friends.

(Copyright 2002 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

[fortress]

Mind you, Porland is always begging for more money for their schools. Thanks for your help ACLU!

[razorback-bert]

Since the ACLU didn't make a profit and are doing it for the children, it's okay to shaft the taxpayers.

[Free the USA]

Index Bump

[concerned about politics]

were violating a state law that prohibits religious discrimination

Athiesm is a belief as well. They can't prove there is no God.
The ACLU should prove there is no God, otherwise they're discrimimating against a belief someone else holds with their own belief.

[Lotec]

Does this mean school sports are banned since clumsy childern cannot participate?

[RAT Patrol]

Define any group then. I mean, a girls club excludes boys, a chess club excludes non-chess playing people, a debate club excludes mutes....

Next time they want money, tell 'em "if you want my money, respect my values".

[evolved_rage]

Remington testified during the trial that he was fascinated by the Boy Scouts and was devastated to learn he couldn't join the group because he was an atheist.

Sounds like the kind of boy whose parents write to Micheal Jackson asking if their son can sleep over.

[Dimensio]

They can't prove there is no God.

Which God can't they prove does not exist?

Why should they be held to a higher standard than theists who cannot believe that the gods they don't believe in don't exist?

[Dimensio]

Er, that should be "who cannot prove that the gods they don't believe in don't exist". Sorry.

[upchuck]

Schools Pay for Boy Scout Recruiting (ACLU sticks it to the Portland public schools - My Title)

Since the folks that run the Portland public schools won't be reaching into their own pockets to pay the (at least) 100K,

Schools Pay for Boy Scout Recruiting (ACLU sticks it to the Portland TAX PAYERS - MY Title)

[Khepera]

So are the schools saying Athiest clubs cannot recruit??

I doubt it.

[sirchtruth]

Let me ask you this: If a man claimed to be God and performed miracles right infront of you that you know could not be slight of hand or trick of light, oh let's say like...gave the blind sight, calmed storms, just suddenly appeared, rose from the dead, would you say that this man is God? I am asking this as serious as I can, with as much humility as I can muster.

It is important to find out if people would even beleive in God if he did show you PROOF of his deity. There were many who still did not. And that comes down to downright DENIAL.

[fortress]

Your title is much better!

[fortress]

To be fair, I don't think they are, to the extends that they recruit for the boy scouts.
But some things are just done in the US. Just like "In God we trust" on our coinage and "under God" in the Pledge.
Like it or not this country's roots are Judeo-Christian, just like the roots of Turkey are Muslim or India Hindu.

But it is bad if a minute minority can change age-old traditions based on that heritage.
It is like cutting down the foundation of a house. It will not stand after a while.

[fortress]

Excellent point.

I want to apologize to the posters on this thread I posted the article and then I had to leave.

[Khepera]

It is their intention to destroy that what gives them life. It must be self loathing that gives them energy for this distructive point of view.

[Texas Yellow Rose]

	This is just sick.  Cub Scout Leaders (children were 6) went to the school to tell the children about Boy Scouts of America.  Somehow that becomes a religious issue?  Were the scouts sponsored by a local church?  Episcopal?   Methodist? Luthern?  LDS?   Someone needs to remind these people that the SCOUTS are not required to accept a certain religion because the Pack or Troup is sponsored by a church.
SUPPORT BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA "Character Counts...Please Contribute Directly to the Scouts Today!!" CLICK ABOVE TO FIND YOUR AREA
Visit: Freeper Tips and Helps for posting photos, links and other HTML goodies. You can also bookmark the thread at:  http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/fr/562247/posts "Government is not reason; it is not eloquence; it is force! Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master."   .....  Somebody Very Smart.....

[Dimensio]

Let me ask you this: If a man claimed to be God and performed miracles right infront of you that you know could not be slight of hand or trick of light, oh let's say like...gave the blind sight, calmed storms, just suddenly appeared, rose from the dead, would you say that this man is God? I am asking this as serious as I can, with as much humility as I can muster.

Well, given such a situation I could believe that the being in question posessed great abilities, but I couldn't say with absolute certainty that it was "God". It could be a "god" or it could be a non-human-lifeform with incredible abilities that appeared to be magic to those who did not understand their workings. I would rank "God" amongst the most likely choices, however

I'd be willing to offer my allegience to this being, however, if he or she seemed a "decent" person (ie, not ordering me to slaughter those who do not worship him or her).

I think that an all-powerful entity such as God would be able, through some method, to make me absolutley certain of its existence if it so desired -- otherwise it wouldn't be all-powerful.

[Bernard]

Interesting point. Since the people who made the mistake that resulted in the 100,000 + being paid out are not the taxpayers, shouldn't they be held accountable and forced to pay the fine, just like a CEO that makes a bad mistake on a a 10Q or 10K and then has the stock price drop?

[fortress]

It is amazing how people hate what is good and love what is evil. I guess that is the sin nature in us.