 Courtesy of the Andresen family Ryan Andresen had completed the requirements to earn his Eagle Scout award, but his mother, Karen, said he was told by his Scoutmaster he won't get it because he recently came out as gay. The Boy Scouts of America have a longstanding policy banning gay Scouts and leaders. By Miranda Leitsinger, NBC News Ryan Andresen had recently completed the requirements to earning his Eagle Scout award, including building a "tolerance wall" for victims of bullying like himself, but his Scoutmaster would not sign off on honoring him with the Boy Scouts' highest ranking because he is gay, his mother said. The Boy Scouts of America have a longstanding policy denying membership to gay leaders and Scouts, which they reaffirmed earlier this year after a two-year confidential review of the controversial ban. Andresen's father, Eric, resigned as assistant Scoutmaster after the Scoutmaster for Troop 212 in Moraga, Calif., confirmed Tuesday night that Ryan wouldn't get the award, Karen Andresen told NBC News. "I want everyone to know that [the Eagle award] should be based on accomplishment, not your sexual orientation. Ryan entered Scouts when he was six years old and in no way knew what he was," said Karen Andresen, 49, a stay-at-home mother of three. "I think right now the Scoutmaster is sending Ryan the message that he's not a valued human being and I want Ryan to know that he is valued … and that people care about him." Ryan, 17, came out in July. Andresen said Scoutmaster Rainer Del Valle knew about Ryan's sexual orientation and they had no idea he wouldn't sign off on the official paperwork. It was "a total shock," she said, adding that Ryan was led all along to believe his Scoutmaster would do so. Eric Andresen, a 52-year-old owner of a property management company, is working on an appeal of the decision, said Karen, who has also started an online petition calling for her son to receive his award. Other assistant Scoutmasters supported Ryan's bid for the Eagle Scout ranking, she said. Del Valle and the Boy Scouts of America did not immediately respond to phone calls and emails seeking comment. To earn the Eagle rank, which is in its 100th year, Scouts must progress through five lower ranks, earn 21 merit badges and serve six months in a leadership position, among completing other tasks. More than two million young men have earned the rank.  Courtesy of Andresen family Ryan Andresen stands in front of a "Tolerance Wall," his final Boy Scouts' project that he worked on with elementary school children. It consists of 288 tiles that depict acts of kindness. Dozens of Eagle Scouts said after the Boy Scouts, a private organization, reaffirmed its policy banning gays that they had returned their medals, badges or membership cards in protest. But other Eagle Scouts said they agreed with the policy. At the time, BSA spokesman Deron Smith said there were no plans to revisit the membership guidelines. Eagle Scouts return badges to protest policy banning gays A number of troops have said they don't follow the policy, and some companies and charities have recently said they would not contribute to the Boy Scouts because of the ban. Technology giant Intel Corporation recently told NBC News that since Jan. 1 it has required troops and councils to sign a document verifying that they comply with their non-discrimination policy in order to receive donations. The United Way of Greater Cleveland, which last year gave nearly $100,000 to the Boy Scouts of America, Greater Cleveland Council, said the organization would no longer qualify to receive such funding after it revised its diversity policy to include sexual orientation. If you are a current or former member of the Boy Scouts and would like to share your thoughts on the membership policy, you can email the reporter at miranda.leitsinger@msnbc.com. More content from NBCNews.com:
 |
10/04/2012
Scout denied award because he is gay, mom says
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment