BBBSA's Inclusion of Homosexuals Causes Insurance Woes
by AFA Journal
June 10, 2004
(AgapePress) - One of the nation's largest mentoring organizations is discovering that some of its chapters are having trouble getting liability insurance because they allow homosexuals to be mentors for kids.
According to Family News in Focus, several chapters of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBSA) may be forced to shut down because insurance companies are charging higher premiums or even refusing to write policies because of the "gay" mentors.
In 2002, BBBSA began requiring its chapters to allow open homosexuals to serve as mentors for children participating in its programs. That policy -- especially in light of the Catholic Church's sex abuse scandal -- has led to a hesitancy on the part of some insurers to do business as usual with BBBSA.
Joan McPheron, a director for one BBBSA chapter, told Family News, "Of course, bottom line, the homosexual issue does come into play. Because we're working with kids ... we're dealing with possible abuse issues. [Insurers] recommend at least a million dollars to two million dollars coverage."
Rob Paris, who is a risk management specialist, said, "When you put a child with a known homosexual as a mentor, that would be [an additional] risk factor that the insurance company would take into consideration."
Paris said some insurance companies will not insure the chapters at any price because of the homosexual factor.
This article appeared in the June 2004 issue of AFA Journal, a monthly publication of the American Family Association.
