May 5, 2008 6:36 pm US/Eastern
Boy Scouts Banned From Greenwich Schools
Superintendent Nixes 70-Year Tradition Of Yearly 10-Minute Recruiting Session In Elementary Schools
GREENWICH, Conn. (CBS) ―
An abrupt end to a longstanding tradition is ruffling feathers in Greenwich. The school superintendent has banned the Boy Scouts from recruiting during school hours.
The Greenwich Boy Scouts use a slick DVD to help recruit new members, but the Scouts also have a much older recruiting tool.
For 70 years they've been allowed to visit Greenwich elementary schools once a year – to make a 10-minute pitch for new members.
This year, though, the tradition abruptly ended.
"Seventy years, that's a long time," parent Janice Kalipershad said. "I think it's a tradition they should keep up with, I don't see any problem keeping that in schools."
But school superintendent Betty Sternberg says a couple of problems led her to cancel that tradition.
"Instructional time is actually precious, and to be using that for things other than instruction is questionable and problematic," Sternberg said.
Sternberg says it's also a question of fairness. Why should the Boy Scouts be the only group given time to recruit students at a school?
"Recruiting during school time boys, while girls are in the same setting …" Sternberg clarified.
Greenwich is a town that appreciates tradition and some question whether Sternberg fully appreciates that.
"I have to say, it is being critical, but it's a judgment call and I don't agree with her judgment," First Selectman Peter Tesei said.
Tesei, the town's top elected official, says a brief assembly to tell kids about scouting can't have a negative impact on education.
Firmly convinced the in-school recruiting is a tradition worth keeping, supporters say they'll work to challenge the superintendent's decision, hoping recruiters can return to school next fall.
The Greenwich Scout Council says the school visit ban made it much more difficult to recruit new members this past year.
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