Atlanta Boy Scouts inflated numbers of black Scouts

<p>An independent investigation of the Atlanta-area Boy Scouts found that the organization inflated its number of black Boy Scouts by more than 5,000 in a program for inner city youth _ including 200 Scout units that did not exist.</p><p>The Atlanta Area Council claimed there were 10,238 Scouts in Operation First Class in 2004, but the audit released Tuesday found that only 5,361 were registered, said Edgar Sims Jr., an attorney with the law firm that conducted the audit.</p><p>The audit found that former Scouts too old to participate remained on the memberships lists and that boys who had only attended informational meetings about the program were signed up.</p><p>All of the false records were in the Boy Scout program called Operation First Class, which was designed to increase participation by boys in the country's poorest areas. The program provides the boys' books, uniforms and other opportunities, including scholarships for camp.</p><p>David Larkin, executive director of the Atlanta Area Council, resigned on Tuesday after the report was released saying he was "deeply disappointed both personally and professionally" and took fully responsibility for the false records.</p><p>"As scout executive of the Atlanta Area Council, I am charged with overseeing all activities of the organization. When those activities do not reflect the principles and integrity of the Boy Scouts of America, at any level, I take full responsibility," he said.</p><p>Joe Beasley, regional director of the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, claimed in October that the 13-county Boy Scouts council was reporting twice as many black participants as were actively involved. Those membership numbers are used to help determine United Way funding.</p><p>Georgia Boy Scout officials commissioned a law firm in November to independently investigate the complaint. Directors of Atlanta's United Way voted May 18 to withhold money for area Boy Scouts pending an investigation.</p><p>Although the United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta's board of directors unanimously approved a plan that would give Boy Scouts of America-Atlanta Area Council about $1.3 million for 2005, they decided to withhold about $945,000 of it until the board reviewed the audit report.</p><p>The remainder of the United Way donation _ about $350,000 _ still will be given to the Atlanta Area Council because that money is from individuals who specifically asked their donations be sent to the Boy Scout program.</p><p>Similar allegations have been made in Alabama, where the FBI is investigating whether the Birmingham-based Greater Alabama Boy Scout Council padded its membership rolls.</p><p>____</p><p>On the Net:</p><p>HASH(0x1cdc9b8)</p><p>HASH(0x1cdca60)</p><p>HASH(0x1cdcb44)</p>

http://accesswdun.com/article/2005/5/145083