Lesbian Scout leader ousted in Ohio; parents upset

[old pirate]

Lesbian Scout leader ousted in Ohio; parents upset

The first-graders in Ohio Pack 109's Tiger Scouts didn't know or care their den mother was a lesbian — at least not until the Boy Scouts of America threw her out over the organization's ban on gays.

Now, parents who were aware of Jennifer Tyrrell's sexual orientation well before she took the boys on campouts and helped them carve race cars for the annual Pinewood Derby have rallied to her defense in a case that has re-ignited the debate over the Scouts' policy.

"I teach my children to judge people on their actions," said Rob Dunn, a father in Bridgeport, a village of about 2,000 across the Ohio River from Wheeling, W.Va. "Whether you agree with their lifestyle or not."

The Boy Scouts of America, whose oath calls for members to be "morally straight," maintains that as a private organization it has the right to exclude gays and atheists from its ranks.

That stance was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2000 but has led many state and local governments to deny support for the Scouts.

Male scout leaders who are gay have long been barred, but instances of women being excluded are not well-documented and probably rare. A lesbian couple in Vermont were told two years ago that they could no longer be involved with their son's Scout troop.

Because of the policy, Tyrrell said she only reluctantly allowed her 7-year-old son to join up in Bridgeport, where she lives with her partner and their four children. Told, she said, by the local cub master that it didn't matter that she is a lesbian, she was drafted to lead the pack in September.

Tyrrell told parents at their first meeting about her sexual orientation. Some already knew her because she had coached youth baseball and volunteered at school, organizing class parties and reading to children.

"She wasn't trying to hide anything," said Dunn, whose son is among the dozen or so members of the boys-only pack. "Nobody I know of has ever made a single complaint against her."

Tyrrell said she was removed in April, right after she was asked to take over as treasurer of the local Boy Scout troop — which oversees Tiger Scouts, Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts — and she raised questions about the finances.

She said the Boy Scout Council for the region told her she had to resign because she is gay.

"In this case, the policy was understood by her and her fellow volunteers but not followed," said Deron Smith, a spokesman for the Boy Scouts of America at its headquarters in Irving, Texas. "When a fellow pack leader made a complaint about it, to a local Scouting professional, they followed the policy."

The organization said it believes Scouting is not the right place for youngsters to be exposed to issues of sexual orientation.

Tyrrell said she is not certain who complained, but she felt betrayed.

So did parents, who organized a protest last week outside the church where the pack held its meetings. They demanded Tyrrell be reinstated.

Crystal Sabinsky said: "My son asked me last night, `Why did Jen leave? Why is she in trouble?' He doesn't understand."

"The only people who were hurt were the kids," Dunn said "They're asking questions they shouldn't have to ask at this point."

Parents of the Tiger Scouts, a program for first-grade boys before they become Cub Scouts, said they never heard Tyrrell mention her sexuality to the children. Club rules require a parent or other adult to accompany each child to every meeting.

"I had no clue she was a lesbian. It doesn't really make a difference to me," said Don Thomas, whose grandson is in the pack. "She did a fantastic job, and the kids loved her. You couldn't ask for a better den leader."

Gay rights groups have taken up Tyrrell's cause, starting an online petition to get the Scouts to change their policy.

"The extent that people care is amazing," Tyrrell said. "We're a perfectly normal family. We're not dangerous. We're not predators. We're just normal, everyday people."

___

Seewer reported from Toledo, Ohio. Associated Press writers Deepti Hajela in New York and Andrew-Welsh-Huggins in Columbus, Ohio, contributed to this report.

http://xfinity.comcast.net/articles/...eader.Removed/

[old pirate]

i put this under education for one reason. i believe the scouts do get public money, i'm not really sure.

in college is a totally other thing. but in school up to high school, i really do not want my kids being taught by gay/lesbian leaders.

these are the people that kids look up to.

if my kids happens to be gay, we as parents will deal with that
i do not want my 10 year old to be taught that it is acceptable.

kids these days are taught it is ok and i believe the numbers has risen because we have become too tolerant.
it is not ok and as an adult, they will be what they will be.

this is in wheeling west virginia. when parts like west virginia start being openly gay tolerant, what next, broke back holler.


it does not have to be slammed into their little heads.

they say they didn't know but the gay/lesbian group are VERY vocal. if she isn't, than her visiting friends ARE.

[Cardinal]

"The extent that people care is amazing," Tyrrell said. "We're a perfectly normal family. We're not dangerous. We're not predators. We're just normal, everyday people."

Yeah, but there's that morals factor lady...

[old pirate]

"The extent that people care is amazing," Tyrrell said. "We're a perfectly normal family. We're not dangerous. We're not predators. We're just normal, everyday people."

very good point, i'm sorry but that is who's version of normal.

if that was normal than we, as a species, would cease to exist.
how can anyone argue with that. we would have never made it to even the cave dwellers.

[Garryowen]

[QUOTE]vBecause of the policy, Tyrrell said she only reluctantly allowed her 7-year-old son to join up in Bridgeport, where she lives with her partner and their four children./QUOTE]

That they have four children makes me wonder how they accomplished that.

[Dennis Olson]

The BSA gets zero public funding. That has been discussed here many times. The rules are simple: no homosexuals allowed to be in the program.

[Landcruiser]

is this a case of sexual orientation being an issue or of someone making sexual orintation an issue. I believe a lesbian woman capable of teaching every single scout principal at that age and would have no problem with it at all as long as sexual orientation was not preached at the meetings...But I'm from Portland Oregon and even the conservatives here are more slanted towards tolerance than in many other parts of the country.

That said, I'm a total hippocrite and would never put my growing son in any situation to be influenced by a gay male, especially in an overnight campout or one on one situation. 99% of them would never harm a child, and this can be said for straight males as well; but I am deathly afraid of putting any of my children in contact with that 1% gay or straight...

That is why my daughter will never be allowed to spend the night anywhere...ever.....ok not really but pretty dang close.

[Dennis Olson]

See my post immediately preceding yours.

[Oreally]

Anyone who doesn't know that this is a ploy to allow faggot men to be BOY scout leaders, so they can get to the boys and screw them, is an idiot or an enabler.

end of story.

[TerryK]

Scout leaders are role models in every way.
Morality is one of them. They are one of the few organizations to have the courage to live up to their own rules and code. They are also one of the few organizations I contribute to.
Below is the oath, laws and motto of the Boy Scouts. They are rules good for any man to lead his life by.

Boy Scout Oath

On my honor, I will do my best
To do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law;
To help other people at all times;
To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight.

Boy Scout Law


A Scout is:

• Trustworthy,
• Loyal,
• Helpful,
• Friendly,
• Courteous,
• Kind,
• Obedient,
• Cheerful,
• Thrifty,
• Brave,
• Clean,
• and Reverent.

Boy Scout Motto

Be Prepared!

[Kent]

Good for the Boy Scouts! On the other hand lesbians can be Girl Scout leaders. Go figure.

[GopherinTN]

..But I'm from Portland Oregon and even the conservatives here are more slanted towards tolerance than in many other parts of the country.

Part of the problem is that to take a side which is pro-homosexual is now called being tolerant......control the language and try and simplify the issue. They then use shame to get their way. Their is no shame in following what God has commanded....i will not falter there.

[China Connection]

I think Lesbians would be okay to be put with boys as the kids are not going to be used as sex objects. The sex thing is out of control. Taken from a bible perspective only faithful married men and women along with young men and women who do not engage in sex before marriage should be considered. I think the Scouts would have trouble getting staff these days. I've met lesbians and homosexuals that I would trust with kids and plenty of so called straights that I wouldn't dream of putting with kids. What would you think of a man that encouraged your child to play around and made made light of marriage? There must be a reason why half of all kids are born out of wedlock these days and it isn't a gay thing. The problem is more than gays,lesbians and pedophiles.

[William]

This all goes to Multiculturalism, and this all goes to serve the NWO and to breakdown our resistance to all that is repugnant, and replace that resistance with tolerance, after all is not tolerance a good thing, you know, hate the sin, but love the sinner, soon there will be no limits to your tolerance, and then your ripe for the NWO, after all, they just have your best interest at heart, right. Just take another deep drink of the cool aid of Multiculturalism.

[Reasonable Rascal]

The fact is that she knew the rules and thumbed her nose at them anyhow. That alone is reason to can her. We aren't talking a minor rule either, but one of the Big Two - must believe in God and must not have professed homosexual inclinations. Did the other parents accept her, or just not wish to be seen as 'intolerant' or boat rockers? In my experience it is more the latter than the former.

RR

[old pirate]

i agree with landcruiser as far as, it is reported that the chance of a gay man molesting a child is much less than a non-gay.

that being said, i don't necessarily agree with that.

the big thing here is the appearance of normalcy and acceptance of gay role models.

i truly believe that this can and will influence many boys.
especially today where metro-sexualality and the feminizing of young men is encouraged.

i look at some teens today. when i was a teen we talked about girls and cars. we all knew basic car stuff. todays boys are so different.
i friend of mine, a 26 year old man had a problem with his transmission. i am a computer person but i know basic functions of a transmission. this kid had no idea how a clutch works, but he has all the gel, goo and smelly crap the young men now use.

i can just see how he may have turned out if his scout master was gay.

[Dennis Olson]

sexualality?

Dude, please use your spell checker before you post. Your material often affects my eyes like potholes do cars...

[joyfulheart]

In this case, it was the leadership at the PACK that is to blame. They KNOW the rules, ignored them, then put her in a difficult position.

Lesbians and gay parents are welcome in scouts. Our sons pack has 3 sets of gay parents. Their children are welcome, and NO teasing/bullying over the situation is tolerated, ever.

The difference is that the parents are made aware of BSA policy-- which is that the parents cannot hold LEADERSHIP positions. They can still volunteer for functions, needed help. Just not leadership.
Big whoop. These parents are still able to do helpful roles in the pack and are VERY involved in scouting with their children.

[Grantbo]

Now, parents who were aware of Jennifer Tyrrell's sexual orientation well before she took the boys on campouts and helped them carve race cars for the annual Pinewood Derby have rallied to her defense in a case that has re-ignited the debate over the Scouts' policy.

This is what's truly sad. Our society has degenerated to a point that people aren’t automatically horrified by such revolting behavior.

[TheSearcher]

I think Lesbians would be okay to be put with boys as the kids are not going to be used as sex objects. The sex thing is out of control. Taken from a bible perspective only faithful married men and women along with young men and women who do not engage in sex before marriage should be considered. I think the Scouts would have trouble getting staff these days. I've met lesbians and homosexuals that I would trust with kids and plenty of so called straights that I wouldn't dream of putting with kids. What would you think of a man that encouraged your child to play around and made made light of marriage? There must be a reason why half of all kids are born out of wedlock these days and it isn't a gay thing. The problem is more than gays,lesbians and pedophiles.

There is a simple reply to your opinion on the matter: The Boy Scouts are a wholly private association, and have a policy that excludes the behavior of the woman in discussion. The BSA is completely within its bounds to expell her.

[Bad Hand]

I wouldn't allow any of my children to be in Boy Scouts if the leaders were homosexuals! When I was a child a couple queers (not going to call them Gay) tried to molest me. As for the lesbians I still have bad memories about them.

[Cardinal]

Below is the oath, laws and motto of the Boy Scouts. They are rules good for any man to lead his life by.

Boy Scout Oath

On my honor, I will do my best
To do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law;
To help other people at all times;
To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight.

Boy Scout Law


A Scout is:

• Trustworthy,
• Loyal,
• Helpful,
• Friendly,
• Courteous,
• Kind,
• Obedient,
• Cheerful,
• Thrifty,
• Brave,
• Clean,
• and Reverent.

Boy Scout Motto

Be Prepared!

They need to add "Straight" to that list.

[naturallysweet]

Why do people try to join organizations, religions, and groups that have deeply held beliefs that are in opposition of their own deeply held beliefs? Then when they are caught, why do they demand that everyone else changes just for them?

She can start her own organization if she wants to. No-one is trying to stop her.

The boy scouts are one of the few good groups left. She has no business trying to destroy it for everyone else.

[PghPanther]

They need to add "Straight" to that list.

Morally straight stated within the creed should cover that.....assuming that when the creed was created that morally straight meant among other things......a normal heterosexual relationship in marriage.........

[kyrsyan]

Just as an aside. I wonder what the financial issue(s) was that she was questioning. That's gotten lost in the blow up over her being a lesbian and is probably something the parents should be looking at. I would especially be examining hard how the one who reported her was related to the financial issues. Especially since they were all ok with her until then.

[night driver]

Ah HAH!

Someone else who caught that.

[Dennis Olson]

OR - was that component "made up" by the ousted person in order to gain leverage in some fashion? Only an independent audit would know for sure...

[gunnersmom]

I agree about the financial part. Someone probably has something to hide, and it may be the one who reported her. But shame on the local for breaking the rules in the first place.

[Reasonable Rascal]

It occurred to me that the parental outrage is more likely because now one of them will be expected to step up to the plate and take over as leader.

RR

[TerryK]

They need to add "Straight" to that list.

Good point. They do have it in their oath "Morally Straight"