Big Brothers Big Sisters of America Implements New Policy Forcing Local Offices to Accept Homosexuals as Mentors

Focus on the Family
Friday, 19 July 2002

Lesson of Catholic Church Scandal Lost on the BBBSA - Dobson to Rescind Endorsement of Organization in Best-Selling Book

Focus on the Family today denounced the recently enacted policy of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBSA), requiring that all of its 500 local offices include homosexuals among the volunteers it matches with children. The policy prompted Focus on the Family founder and president Dr. James Dobson, who had endorsed the organization his recent best-selling book, Bringing Up Boys, to rescind the endorsement and remove the group as a referral organization in future editions of the book.

Dr. Bill Maier, vice president and psychologist-in-residence for Focus on the Family, said of the BBBSA's action, "This policy is a brazen affront to parents with deeply held religious beliefs, not to mention a potential hazard to the well-being of children everywhere. Big Brothers Big Sisters of America should learn from the recent Catholic Church sex abuse scandal and realize that matching fatherless boys, starving for attention, with homosexual men is reckless and irresponsible, not to mention a recipe for disaster."

While Big Brothers Big Sisters of America claims that the policy has been in place for years and that its decision is an internal matter, this is the first time the policy has been mandated by the national headquarters in its local chapters. Many executive directors of local offices are now being forced to compromise their religious convictions or risk losing their affiliation with the organization.

In defending its ill-advised decision, the BBBSA also claims that parents ultimately approve a volunteer match by signing a consent form. While this is true with their community-based programs, it does not apply to the school-based programs in which a parent is asked to sign a general consent form that gives no indication their child could be matched with a homosexual mentor.

"As a former urban community psychologist, I am saddened to see this notable organization subverting the values of millions of parents and potentially putting hundreds of vulnerable children in harm's way," Maier added. "America's parents and children deserve better from an organization that has helped so many. We call on Big Brothers Big Sisters of America to rescind this policy that is obviously not in a child's best interest."

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