Posted on 03/08/2003 9:38:19 AM PST by RonF
What began three years ago as part of a highly-publicized program to help troubled boys has been quietly dropped by the 19th Judicial Circuit Court. The charter of Boy Scout Troop 19, based at the Depke Juvenile Justice Complex in Vernon Hills, was allowed to expire March 1 in response to concerns by the American Civil Liberties Union.
"We decided it probably would be best served not to continue," said Bob Zastany, executive director of the court's administrative office. "We thought we were doing some good things out there." The ACLU and others, most notably Buffalo Grove resident and well-known atheist Rob Sherman, generally have questioned the use of public funds to operate what he once described as a "discriminatory private club."
Sherman was unable to be reached Friday for comment regarding Troop 19. Ed Yohnka, director of communications for the ACLU of Illinois, said this wasn't a new issue for the group. He said the court did the right thing. "We've expressed concerns to a number of government agencies, including this particular court about their serving as a sponsor of an organization that has a discriminatory policy," he said.
The U.S. Supreme Court in 2000 ruled that as a private organization, the Boy Scouts can restrict its membership and leaders. The decision originated with a lawsuit by a gay Scout leader who was dismissed from a New Jersey troop. Atheists also are prohibited from joining.
Established in February 2000, Troop 19 was touted as the first formed with boys sentenced to probation. The 19th Judicial Circuit Court was the chartering agency for the troop operated by the juvenile probation and detention services division. Participants were boys aged 14 to 16 in the in-house treatment program at Depke, known as FACE-IT, or Family and Community Engaged in Treatment. That program is limited to 12 boys and is not associated with the detention center's general population.
The Boy Scout connection, the 19th Circuit said in 2000, would help instill "the exemplary values of character, citizenship and fitness" and build the teens' self-esteem. On Thursday nights, the troop would meet for about 90 minutes to learn skills such as first aid. On weekends, the troop would go on nature hikes or other activities. Participants who were interested in continuing in the Scouts after their stay were given referrals, although Zastany was unsure if or how many pursued Scouting after they left the center. "You plant enough seeds and you get a tree here and a tree there and sometimes you get some fruit," he said.
Sherman took his case to the Lake County Board last year, saying the use of public funds to operate the troop violated federal civil rights laws. The county funds FACE-IT, which distributed money to the troop. He also objected to judges and other judicial system employees working with a group that has discriminatory rules. Zastany said he and his staff closely studied the matter before recommending to Chief Judge Margaret J. Mullen the charter be allowed to lapse. Mullen could not be reached Friday for comment. "It was just a prudent decision on our part to let it lapse and regroup," Zastany said. "We're going to create programming and opportunities for these kids that will be even better."
Yes, he did that. He's also been one of the leading instigators of suits all over the area to force religious symbols out of the public eye. In addition to forcing references to God off govm't seals and such, messing with scouting, he's been a party suits to have churches take their crosses off their steeples, 'cause people can see them and are offended.
He was arrested for domestic violence a few years ago and had his laser sighted pistol confiscated. He beat his kid one night for something the kid did. Kid called the cops. I'll bet it's the same kid that he's trying to protect from folks that believe in god, like the boy scouts that allow their members to hold any religion. When the judge asked him what it was about, Sherman told him, "I was just trying to put the fear of god in him." He also tried to get the pistol back on the grounds that folks were out to get him. The man's a psycho.
So, people who do things on their own, and stop relying on government money, have more opportunity to do what they want and do it with who they want to do it with.
Carried forward to it's logical conclusion, this could become a trend, if only people would/could stop depending on government money.
Not sure I follow you. I'm not discriminating against anyone in this instance.
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