Recently, a number of parents in Evanston/Skokie School District 65 expressed concern when their children came home with a flyer from the school – announcing a new program of “collaboration� with the Boy Scouts. The flyer announced that District 65 would be holding regular Saturday meetings on school property as part of a new “collaboration� with the Boy Scouts.

You will recall that the ACLU of Illinois has been involved for some years with litigation against the United States Department of Defense because of the Pentagon’s support (amounting to approximately $2 million each year) for the Boy Scout Jamboree. The concern arises because before a young man can tie his first knot or pitch his first tent with the Boy Scouts, he must first swear an oath to God – setting up a religious requirement in order for these young men to have access to the government facility offered as part of the Jamboree.

Similarly, the school district should not be a sponsor or charter holder for an organization that requires a religious oath for participation.

Some parents in Evanston/Skokie District 65 raised questions about whether the “collaboration� described in the flyer that went home with children places the school in the position of sponsoring, rather than simply hosting the Scouts. The Board of Education is set to discuss the issue at their meeting on Tuesday, March 6th, beginning at 7:00 p.m. at the District 65 Administration Building, located at 15000 McDaniel Avenue in Evanston.