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Submitted By: James Dale entered scouting in 1978 at the age of eight by joining
Monmouth Council's Cub Scout Pack 142. Dale became a Boy Scout in 1981 and remained a
Scout until he
turned 18. By all accounts, Dale was an exemplary Scout. In 1988, he achieved the rank of Eagle
Scout, one of
Scouting's highest honors.
Dale is to be commended for his accomplishments in the Scouting program. Not many
youngsters reach
this level. However, it should be noted that this occurred before his advocacy of homosexuality.
Dale applied for adult membership in the Boy Scouts in 1989. The Boy Scouts approved his
application
for the position of assistant scoutmaster of Troop 73. Around the same time, Dale left home to
attend
Rutgers University. After arriving at Rutgers, Dale first acknowledged to himself and others that
he is gay.
He quickly became involved with, and eventually became the copresident of, the Rutgers
University
Lesbian/Gay Alliance. In 1990, Dale attended a seminar addressing the psychological and health
needs of
lesbian and gay teenagers. A newspaper covering the event interviewed Dale about his advocacy
of
homosexual teenagers' need for gay role models. In early July 1990, the newspaper published the
interview
and Dale's photograph over a caption identifying him as the copresident of the Lesbian/Gay
Alliance.
The following links are provided so that you may read the Supreme Courts Decision.
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