He was a model boy scout.

A former Rutgers University student, he won 30 merit badges and seven achievement honors, rose to scouting’s highest rank of Eagle Scout in his 11-year career and was the pride of his troop.

That is, until a newspaper article identified him as a leader of the Rutgers University Lesbian/Gay Alliance.

Then, suddenly, the Boy Scouts of America kicked James Dale out, saying he was unfit to be a leader because he is gay.

He sued and the New Jersey Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld an earlier state appeals court ruling that the Boy Scouts may not discriminate in this manner.

Some parents, who believe the nasty stereotypes about gay men as child molesters, may support the scout leadership, fearing that their child could be in danger if no anti-gay policy existed.

Such fears are unfounded. There is overwhelming evidence that heterosexuals are usually the perpetrators of crimes against children.

Should we ban all heterosexuals from guiding our children and grandchildren?

Such hypocrisy and ignorance are degrading and undermining the Boy Scouts of America and its goals.

There is no evidence that the 27-year-old Dale was anything but an exemplary scout and leader.

He was not accused of molesting a child.

He did not even tell his troop his sexual orientation.

The Boy Scouts organization contends it is a private group free to set its own rules.

The leadership should be embarrassed to know this is the same argument used through the years to bar women from university eating clubs and racial minorities from golf courses.

It had to be tough to argue — with a straight face, at least — that the Boy Scouts of America is a private group of guys.

Scout troops recruit through schools and civic groups.

They are often are affiliated with local religious groups, civic organizations, businesses, labor unions, corporations, professional associations, parent-teacher organizations and even governmental bodies.

In Newark, for example, Cub Scout groups and Boy Scout troops are set up in many of the city’s public schools.

This is a private organization?

If scouting officials are attempting to protect young members, they should consider that Dale’s orientation was unaffected by the heterosexual scout leaders he had as a boy.

Available evidence demonstrates that sexual orientation is not like smoking — it’s not a habit that can be modeled for impressionable youths.

Rather, it is as integral a part of a person as eye color.

Banning homosexuals from the Boy Scouts makes about as much sense as barring males with green eyes.

A Boy Scout leader should be judged on his character and his performance.

Sexual orientation is not part of that equation.

The U.S. Constitution declares that all people are created equal.

The courts have interpreted that to mean that a person should not be discriminated against for reasons that have nothing to do with the individual’s ability.

What’s really sad about this whole story is that even the Boy Scouts — a group formed to instill values of good character, to prepare young boys to make ethical decisions, to teach positive personal values and to promote good deeds — has to be forced not to discriminate.

The Boy Scout organization is teaching impressionable youths by example that it is acceptable to discriminate.

This should truly concern parents.

During my time as a Boy Scout, I was taught the 12 Scout Laws that included helpfulness, friendliness, courteousness and kindness.

Have these laws changed since then? Or do they simply not apply to me since I am also a gay man?

Scouting encourages young people to challenge themselves, but the organization’s leadership apparently is unwilling to challenge its own narrow views.

Rather than accept the appeals court ruling, which found the scouts’ anti-homosexual policy discriminatory, the group plans to appeal.

The Boy Scout leaders plan to take their case to the Supreme Court.

Somebody should take them by the hand and lead them across the street.

This time, they’re the ones on the wrong side.

William C. Stosine

Iowa City