Iowa’s 4-H Club has cut ties with the Boy Scouts of America due to the Scouts’ decision not to allow homosexuals to hold leadership positions within the organization.

A Supreme Court ruling in June upheld a New Jersey decision to fire a Scoutmaster based on his sexual orientation. Because of this decision, the Iowa 4-H Club can no longer actively support the Boy Scouts, said John McCarroll, director of University Relations.

“This is essentially a legal issue,” McCarroll said. “The 4-H program is part of the university Extension, which receives tax dollars and is therefore subject to the same nondiscrimination policies as the university.”

The 4-H Club is the youth-development portion of ISU Extension and provides a variety of programs for youth in all counties around the state, said Joe Kurth, director of 4-H youth programs for ISU Extension. In the past year, 135,000 youths in grades K-12 were involved in the program.

University policy specifically states that “Iowa State University does not discriminate on the basis of … sexual orientation,” McCarroll said. “The organization is bound to comply with the nondiscrimination policies.”

In the past, 4-H and the Boy Scouts have had “some working relationship,” Kurth said.

“In some counties we have participated in joint programming, and the Scouts have used our materials,” Kurth said. “We can still do things such as participating in collaborations, providing materials and renting facilities, as long as we don’t participate in the direct delivery of programs to the Scouts.”

Boy Scouts members said they do not believe the decision will affect many activities between the two organizations.

“I have worked in the program for 15 years, and I’m unaware of any events we do jointly with 4-H,” said Ely Brewer, scout executive of the Mid-Iowa Council of the Boy Scouts. “They are an excellent organization, but we just don’t do any joint programming.”

Brewer said the Supreme Court decision has had little impact on the Boy Scouts in Iowa.

“On two separate occasions we have expelled men because of sexual issues,” Brewer said. “Both men were heterosexual and were expelled for speaking of their exploits with women to adolescent boys. In our organization, that is just as unacceptable. It is not a homosexual issue in central Iowa.”

Brewer said the Supreme Court’s decision is supported by the local program, and parents have spoken favorably toward the verdict. However, not all Scouts agree with the decision.

“I don’t think it’s right, and I can see why 4-H is cutting ties with them,” said Eagle Scout Joel Petersen, sophomore in agricultural systems technology.

Some ISU students agree that the Boy Scouts should have to deal with the results of their decision to discriminate against homosexuals.

“The Boy Scouts have every right to discriminate as a private organization, but I disagree with their decision to teach discrimination to thousands of young kids,” said Angie Chipman, member of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Ally Alliance. “I don’t think they should be allowed a lot of the benefits and privileges the federal government gives them.”

Chipman, senior in psychology, history and secondary education, said 4-H’s decision is a step in the right direction.

“The Boy Scouts do a lot of positive things for a lot of young men, so I hate to see all this negativity toward them. At the same time, I’m happy to see organizations set the standard against discrimination. I hope the Boy Scouts will come to their senses and see that discrimination is not OK,” she said.

Children who want to participate in both 4-H and Boy Scouts will not be affected by the decision, Kurth said.