New Jersey Boy Scouts agrees to pay $18,000 to settle transgender discrimination case

A New Jersey branch of the Boy Scouts has agreed to pay $18,000 and apologize to the family of a nine-year-old transgender boy, who was prevented from participating in the activities of the organization last year.

Kristie Maldonado filed a civil rights complaint against the Northern New Jersey Council of the Boy Scouts after an official told her that her child, who goes by the name Joe, could no longer participate in the programs of the Cub Scout pack in Secaucus because he was born a girl.

On Thursday, the council signed an agreement to settle the case. As part of the agreement, the council vowed to change its policies in accordance with state laws prohibiting discrimination. The Division on Civil Rights ordered the council to distribute the rules to local councils in New Jersey, WREG reported.

Joe was allowed back into scouting earlier this year after the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) overturned its policy to defer to the birth certificate when screening youths who want to join the organization. The BSA announced that it would start accepting children based on the "gender identity indicated on the application," according to The Record.

Effie Delimarkos, director of communications for the Boy Scouts of America, stated on Thursday that the scouting organization is "happy to welcome Joe and the Maldonado family back into the Scouting community."

"Moving forward, the BSA will continue to work to bring the benefits of our programs to as many children, families and communities as possible," she added.

Maldonado said that Joe was pleased that the organization admitted that it was wrong. Last month, Joe was accepted into a Cub Scout pack in Maplewood. The mother said that she did not want to bring her son back to Secaucus, where scouting officials told her some parents complained last year.

"I never would have been able to just drop Joe off there and feel safe," she said about the Secaucus pack.

Maldonado said that Joe recently went on a camping trip with the Maplewood pack and that Joe has been doing "phenomenal" as a member of the group. "I know there are loving and caring people here," she said about Joe's new pack.