May 6, 2018

Order of Boy Scout California ranks

2010 Update

Both Michael and have completed college and William Randall was admitted into the California Bar on June 1, 2009 - by Judge Frazee!

After being in Cub Scouting for three years, in 1991, William and Michael Randall were expelled from an Orange County Cub Scout pack, because their family is not religious.
In January 1991, William and Michael announced that they didn't believe in God and wouldn't say the word "God" during the recitation of the Cub Scout Oath. They were eventually asked to leave Pack 519 for not meeting BSA's religious membership requirement,
The Randalls decided to file suit against the BSA. They alleged a violation of California's Unruh Civil Rights Act, in that the Randalls were denied equal access to an organization covered by the Act because they had no religious beliefs. They sought injunctive relief prohibiting further exclusion or impediment to participation in scouting activities.

On February 21, 1991, Orange County Superior Court Judge Richard O. Frazee Sr. issued a temporary restraining order. It prohibited the Orange County Council from refusing the Randalls membership in the Boy Scouts of America, from conditioning their advancement upon religious components, and from requiring them to use the word "God" in any pledge or vow. Judge Frazee granted a preliminary injunction on April 25, 1991, affording the same relief and adding a prohibition against BSA's refusing to advance the Randalls to the higher ranks of the Cub Scouts on the basis of such requirements.
Several hours after the ruling was issued, the Randall twins were confronted by angry parents when they attended a Pack Meeting for Pack 519.
According to news reports, one parent, Randy Lindenburg, screamed "There's a million people in this country who think you're stupid." Because of such arguments, the Pack Meeting was abruptly canceled.
Afterwards, the father of Michael and William, James G. Randall, stated that "This is the reason I don't want my boys to follow the same God you do."
However, BSA appealed the preliminary injunction to the Appellate Court . The Court of Appeal stayed enforcement of the preliminary injunction and ultimately granted BSA's petition for writ of supersedeas. Accordingly, the Randall twins were barred from participating in Cub Scouting, pending the decision of the trial court.
Before the appeal from the order granting the preliminary injunction was decided, the matter went to trial.

In 1992, a trial began to determine if BSA was covered under California's Unruh Civil Rights Act. During the trial, the Randall twins testified that on the rare occasions when they repeated the Cub Scout Oath, they did not say the word "God, " and that when they explained their lack of belief in God to their Den Leader in Culver City, he permitted them to omit any reference to God. The Den Leader, on the other hand, testified that the boys had recited the entire promise in his Den and never had raised any question regarding their belief in God.
When the Randalls moved to Anaheim Hills in Orange County, the boys joined Cub Scout Den 4, which was affiliated with Pack 519, a part of the Orange County Council. While the boys were working on the requirements for advancement to the Bear rank in 1990, a problem arose.
One of these requirements has a religious component, which was stated in the following terms in the materials provided to boys seeking advancement:

"We are lucky the people who wrote and signed our constitution were very wise. They understood the need of Americans to worship God as they choose. A member of your family will be able to talk with you about your duty to God. Remember, this achievement is part of your cub scout promise. 'I, ____, promise to do my best to do my duty to God and my country.' "

Further, the Cub Scout seeking advancement to the Bear rank is instructed to: "Practice your religion as you are taught in your home, church, synagogue, mosque or other religious community." Religious emblems provided by the Cub Scout's own religious institution also may be earned at this point.

At a Den meeting, the Randall boys stated they would have a problem with the religion requirement, and stated that they did not believe in God. The Den Leader observed that she thought belief in God was necessary to complete the religion requirement. After consulting with officials in the Orange County Council, the Den Leader confirmed to the boys' mother that this was the policy.
Initially, BSA's position was that the Randall twins could remain in the Den, but that they could not advance in the Cub Scout ranks until they promised to do their duty to God. At trial, BSA officials stated that the boys would not be able to participate at all as Cub Scouts if they do not believe in God, because such a state of disbelief is inconsistent with the Cub Scout Promise to perform a duty to God.

Source: www.bsa-discrimination.org