Office of Public Relations

Pomona, NJ 08240

 

Executive Director Kevin Cathcart and James Dale Will Speak at the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey Regarding the Case of Boy Scouts of America v. Dale

Constitution Day Event Will Be Held on October 12^th From 4:30 to 6:00 PM in the Alton Auditorium on the Galloway Twp. Campus

 

For Immediate Release

Wednesday, September 27, 2006

Contact: Tim Kelly

Jessica Hudson

Stockton Public Relations

(609) 652-4950

GALLOWAY TWP., NJ On Thursday, Oct. 12 from 4:30 to 6:00 P.M. in the Alton Auditorium, Kevin Cathcart, Executive Director of Lambda Legal, and James Dale will discuss state and federal constitutional protection for discrimination based on sexual orientation. Kevin Cathcart is a Stockton graduate and the organization that he directs, Lambda Legal, brought most of the litigation seeking legal protection for same-sex marriage. James Dale was the plaintiff in Dale v. Boy Scouts of America, in which the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the First Amendment's protection for freedom of association allows the Boy Scouts to exclude gay men from serving as scout leaders.

The June 2000 United States Supreme Court decision overturned the unanimous ruling of the New Jersey Supreme Court. The New Jersey Supreme Court had ruled against the Boy Scouts of Americas membership policy, a policy which excludes gays. U.S. Supreme Court Justices Stevens and Souter dissented. According to Lambda Legal, the ruling even raised concerns among members of the U.S. Supreme Court. This approach could create a facile override of civil rights laws under the rule of association, a defense that according to Lambda Legal creates a gay exception one that treats gay people differently from all others with regard to inclusion.

This ruling marked the end of Mr. Dales court dispute with the Boy Scouts of Americas antigay policy. During his years in Boy Scouts, James Dale earned more than 30 merit badges, rose to the rank of Eagle Scout, and was forced to leave the organization in 1990 when officials in the Boy Scouts read a newspaper article that mentioned that Dale is gay.

This event, Civil Rights and Sexual Orientation is free and open to the public.

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