Background
Twin brothers Michael and William Randall were Cub Scouts, a membership division of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), in Den 4, Pack 519 of the Orange County Council. They were on their way to earning the Bear Badge which included, in one of its four advancement areas, a religious component that asserted the existence of God and required the practice of one's faith as "taught in your home, church, synagogue, mosque, or religious fellowship," as well as a pledge asserting their duty to God which was included in the opinion of the court:
We are lucky the people who wrote and signed our constitution were very wise. They understood the need of Americans to worship God as they choose. A member of your family will be able to talk with you about your duty to God. Remember, this achievement is part of your Cub Scout promise. "I, ____, promise to do my best to do my duty to God and my country."
The Randalls stated at their local Cub Scout den meeting that they had a conflict with the religious requirement. The den leader asserted to the children's mother that the requirement was necessary to proceed through the ranks. The Orange County Council agreed with this position. While initially the Orange County Council allowed the Randalls to continue to participate in Scouting activities, it refused to allow them to advance in the ranks until they asserted their duty to God.
The mother, as guardian ad litem, filed suit against the Orange County Council, alleging that the Council reversed its initial decision and expelled the Randalls from the Boy Scouts.
Read more about this topic: Randall V. Orange County Council
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