Thirteen-year-old Clifford "Buzz" Grambo was ejected from Troop 427 when Scoutmaster James Yoe decided he did not like the answers he received from Buzz during a routine conference. The conference was conducted to determine if Buzz could advance from First Class to Star rank.
According to Buzz, during the one-on-one conference Yoe "started talking about what I believe. I told him I was an atheist. He said "We only let you in because we figured you didn't know what you were talking about." Buzz insisted that he did know: "I knew what I believed, I understood, and I respect the beliefs of others." Buzz said he considered the first of scouting's 12 laws: to be trustworthy. He could not lie about his beliefs and it was his honesty that resulted in Yoe telling him that he could not advance and would not be welcomed any longer in Troop 427. Nobody in Troop 427, including Scoutmaster Yoe, could say that Buzz was not trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, thrifty, brave, clean, and cheerful. But since Buzz was not reverent, according to the BSA definition of "reverence," he was ousted.
When asked why Buzz had been allowed to participate in the BSA for over five years even though his atheist life-stance was known, Yoe said, "We felt it was in his best interest to let him grow and let him decide what he believes in. At 10 or 11, boys might not be sure what they believe."
Richard W. Walker, national spokesman for BSA, said that the 427 Troop officials did what they were supposed to do. It's no secret we have a duty to god. We are not a religion, but we are a religious organization. We were founded in 1915 to uphold certain values ... our thinking for the past 85 years is that if we stand for anything, it's traditional family values. The duties to god, self and country are the cornerstones of the programs that instill the values in children that parents want. We don't discriminate. We reserve the right to select boys who have the same values we hold. In order to be a member, you must subscribe to the values the BSA stand for ... that's what we teach and that is what we're all about. If you don't believe in god, why would you want to a member? You can go hiking and fishing with anybody."
Buzz's mother, Nancy Grambo, said her son's atheism was known all along to scout officials. Until Yoe's conference with Buzz "Nobody ever told us you had to be religious" said Nancy. She is also an atheist and even served as a den leader when her son was a Cub Scout.
The conference with Yoe took place during Buzz's weekly scout meeting. Buzz rode home with his father after the meeting in tears. His father, Jack Grambo said "Buzz came out of the meeting 15 minutes early and seemed very upset ... " .... The troop meets at Our Lady Star of Sea Catholic Church in Solomons.
Buzz was completely devoted to scouting. He gave up other activities so he could spend more time on scouting projects, his parents informed us. Even though he is an atheist, he gladly participated in religious ceremonies during scouting events.
.... "I feel let down by the troop," Buzz said, "I had such a good time there." Buzz had hoped to one day be an Eagle Scout.
After three years of service as a volunteer leader in a Cub Scout pack, Umar Abdul-Mutakallim has been rejected as the group's top supervisor because he is not of the right religion. Umar Abdul-Mutakallim is Muslim.
The Haven Reformed Church insisted that the Cub Scoutmaster for Pack 293 should be Christian, like the church sponsoring the troop. Church official Dale Boone said, "For any of the programs we offer here at the Protestant church it only seems consistent that the people leading those programs would at least identify with what it is that we represent."
Mr Abdul-Mutakallim said, "Of all places, scouting is a place where we should be fostering community, fellowship, and brotherhood." Abdul-Mutakallim said the church should have been up-front about its requirements. "When you are going to recruit in a public arena such as a school, then you should at the very least make those who are going to come to that forum aware of their policies," he said.
Many parents in the troop criticized the church's action and said that they would form a new pack and will ask Mr. Abdul-Mutakallim to return as leader.
One parent, Lou Price said, "We're Jewish so this directly affects us. It says to me that if I ever want to be a pack leader, I can't. And it sends the wrong message to my kids." Price went on to say that he would like to see the BSA set nondenominational standards for leaders.
BSA national spokesman Richard Walker said that the church is within its rights. A charter agreement essentially makes the Scout Troop a program of Haven Reformed, giving the church the authority to select leaders. Walker commented, "This is something for the church to work out." The Scouting movement is based on a belief in god, though it does not try to define god or endorse a particular faith, Walker told the Michigan News.
A field director for the Southwest Michigan Council of the Boy Scouts of America was quoted as saying, "All these [sponsoring groups] don't see eye to eye in religious beliefs. But we let them decide ... how they want to use scouting in their outreach."