LGBT Advisory Board urges appeal of Scouts ruling
The Mayor’s LGBT Advisory Board agreed unanimously last week to urge the Nutter administration to appeal a recent ruling in the local Boy Scouts dispute.
Since 2008, the city has been trying to evict the BSA Cradle of Liberty Council from a city-owned building at 231-251 N. 22nd St. on the Parkway.
In June 2010, a federal jury ruled the city placed an “unconstitutional condition” on the council by allegedly requiring it to renounce the national BSA’s antigay policy to stay in the building.
On March 20, U.S. District Court Judge Ronald L. Buckwalter issued a 34-page ruling, upholding the jury verdict.
In a separate ruling, the judge ordered the city to pay Cradle $877,000 in legal fees.
The Mayor’s LGBT Advisory Board met March 28 and agreed unanimously to send a letter to Nutter in support of an appeal of Buckwalter’s ruling, said Gloria Casarez, the city’s Director of LGBT Affairs.
The deadline for an appeal is April 20.
No legal fees must be paid to Cradle while an appeal is pending.
In his ruling, Buckwalter stated that the city placed an “overly broad speech restriction” on Cradle by allegedly conditioning its continued occupation of the building on the repudiation requirement.
But critics of Buckwalter’s ruling say it didn’t give enough weight to a rental-payment option the city also offered Cradle.
At press time, Nutter spokesperson Mark McDonald had no comment on whether the city would appeal the ruling.
Antibias ordinance challenged, again
James D. Schneller, co-founder of the anti-LGBT Philadelphia Metro Task Force, asked a Montgomery County judge this week to reinstate a legal challenge to Conshohocken’s LGBT antibias ordinance.
Enacted in April 2011, the borough ordinance extends antibias protections to LGBTs in the areas of housing, employment, public accommodations and public education.
Discriminators face up to 90 days in jail and a $500 fine for each violation.
But last year, Schneller filed a legal challenge to the ordinance, contending it allegedly infringes on protected religious freedoms, causes harm to children and fosters the spread of diseases.
On March 12, Judge Bernard A. Moore dismissed Schneller’s complaint on the basis that it lacks legal standing.
On April 2, Schneller filed a motion asking Moore to reconsider the dismissal and requests that a resident of Conshohocken be named as a plaintiff in the case.
Schneller, a resident of Radnor, could not be reached for comment at press time.
There is no deadline for Moore to rule on Schneller’s motion.
Michael J. Savona, the borough solicitor, expressed hope that Schneller’s motion will be denied without delay.
“It’s unfortunate that Mr. Schneller keeps perpetuating this meritless litigation at the expense of the residents of the borough of Conshohocken,” Savona said.
— Tim Cwiek
MCCP to protest at Hershey
The Metropolitan Community Church of Philadelphia will head to Hershey Park next weekend to speak out on behalf of a boy denied admission to a Hershey-affiliated school because he is HIV-positive.
Supporters will set off at 9 a.m. April 15 from 3637 Chestnut St. and return to the city at 5 p.m.
The situation arose last year after the Milton Hershey School, a boarding school that educates disadvantaged youth, rejected a 13-year-old boy, saying his HIV status put other students at risk.
The boy and his family, who are being represented by AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania, filed a federal lawsuit against the school in December.
The MCCP bus trip, which can accommodate 56 people, is being funded by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, which is encouraging a boycott of Hershey.
The Rev. Jeffrey Jordan, pastor of MCCP, noted proceeds from Hershey Park and from the sale of Hershey candy go to the Hershey Foundation, which supports the school.
Jordan said protestors will call on the school to reverse its admissions decision and to adopt a nondiscrimination policy in regard to HIV-positive students.
For more information or to register for the trip, visit www.facebook.com/events/257484204343624/.
LGBT prom in Bucks Co.
The Open Door Club at Bucks County Community College will host its annual LGBT Prom from 6-10 p.m. April 13 at the college’s Newtown campus.
The event is open to LGBT and ally college and high-school students.
The theme will be “Classic Hollywood” of the 1930s-’50s, and formal wear is welcomed but not required. The competition for king and queen is open to all youth.
Tickets are $10 in advance or $15 at the door. A portion of the proceeds benefits LGBT program Rainbow Room at Planned Parenthood Association of Bucks County.
For more information, visit www.facebook.com/events/268745113205679/.
— Jen Colletta