Scroll To Top
World

Florida School Board Rejects Program With Boy Scouts Connection

Florida School Board Rejects Program With Boy Scouts Connection

Boy_scoutsx390_1

The Pinellas County School Board in Florida decided to sever ties with an educational program affiliated with the Boy Scouts because of the organization's refusal to admit gay members.

WTVT-TV reports on the school board's decision to reject funding for "Learning for Life" on Tuesday. The program aims to teach character in schools by promoting values like respect, honesty and fairness.

"A $54,000 grant would have supported the program at a handful of Pinellas Schools, including Skyview Elementary, Mildred Helm Elementary, Palm Harbor, Safety Harbor and Tyrone Middle Schools," according to the news station.

"The plan now is to expand the district's 'Commitment to Character' program to replace 'Learning for Life.' Other groups nationally have cut ties, too."

School board member Linda Lerner, whose son is gay, has fought to disassociate the west central Florida school district from the program for 10 years. She said the decision sent a "strong message to the Boy Scouts," whose discrimination has been upheld as a private right by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Not everyone on the school board agreed with the decision to reject Learning for Life, including chairwoman Carol Cook.

"I think it's more valuable to have left the character education in the classroom and attack the concerns with the national organization in a much different way," she told WTVT-TV.

Watch the report.

School board blocks grant over gay discrimination: MyFoxTAMPABAY.com

Advocate Channel - The Pride StoreOut / Advocate Magazine - Fellow Travelers & Jamie Lee Curtis

From our Sponsors

Most Popular

Latest Stories

Julie Bolcer