Hayden Rejects City Program To Teach Values Council Decides To Avoid Affiliation With Bill Gothard

A simple signature on a plaque was enough information for council members to decide against endorsing a character program here.

With a 3-1 vote, Hayden City Council members denied a resolution brought to them by the Idaho Character Foundation. Only councilman Chris Beck voted to pass the resolution.

If approved, the city would have pledged its commitment to character values such as honor and truthfulness by promoting the values in schools, businesses, homes, churches, city government, media and community groups.

It took an hour and a half of discussion about religion and the city’s role in character development to reach a decision Tuesday night. The council decided that the signature of Bill Gothard on a plaque from a recent seminar on character-building programs was evidence that he played a role in the materials presented to the council.

Gothard is an evangelical Christian whose Institute of Basic Life Principles has conducted Biblebased seminars for adults and teenagers since the 1970s. He hosted the April conference that council member Nancy Taylor attended along with Coeur d’Alene council member Chris Copstead.

In the past, Gothard’s “chain of command” teachings have been based on his religious beliefs that bosses, city leaders and husbands are put in elevated positions by God.

Dan Pinkerton, a local businessman and founder of the Idaho Character Foundation, presented the character resolution to the council Tuesday night. In a room packed with residents that applauded for both sides, Pinkerton asked for the council’s support to approve the idea.

Pinkerton denied any affiliation between Gothard and the character resolution proposed in Hayden.

“This resolution I’ve given you has nothing to do with infiltrating religion in our community,” he said. “By signing this, you’re not joining (the International Association of Character Cities) because there’s nothing to join.”

But the council decided the materials, published by the IACC, were aligned too closely with Gothard.

In April, Taylor met Gothard when she attended IACC’s conference in Indianapolis. Pinkerton invited 12 North Idaho leaders to attend the conference, paid for by the foundation.

“It may seem innocuous to open the door just a little by allowing such a program to come into our homes, or in our case, to pass a resolution supporting the program,” Taylor said. “Yet when one opens the door, even a little, who knows what could follow.”

“If we start here with this resolution, believe you me, others will be knocking down our door for more resolutions,” said Darlene Ferrians, council member.

And that means people like Richard Butler, leader of the Aryan Nations, could ask Hayden to pass a resolution supporting his religion, too, Ferrians said.

Rathdrum and Worley councils voted to pass the resolutions this summer. Pinkerton’s foundation has paid for every family in both cities to have a 75-page hardback book that describes qualities such as benevolence, honor and virtue.

“I have quietly watched Rathdrum, Worley and (Idaho Drug Free Youth) grasp ahold of this program,” Taylor told fellow council members. “Now that it comes to Hayden, I feel compelled to speak out against it because I will not accept the unacceptable.”

Taylor pointed out Internet sites critical of Gothard that say he believes rock music, including Christian rock, should be forbidden. Gothard also apparently believes Cabbage Patch dolls cause strange and destructive behavior in children, and that the dolls should be removed from homes or destroyed.

A Cabbage Patch doll rested in front of Taylor to protest Gothard’s beliefs.

Gothard wasn’t available for comment Tuesday evening. But Pinkerton said not all Internet sites should be trusted.

Copstead also spoke against the resolution and IACC. He said he came to represent his thoughts, not the those of the city of Coeur d’Alene.

“I’m extremely suspect of ICF and Mr. Pinkerton,” Copstead said, after explaining his experience at the April conference. “When I questioned (Pinkerton), I don’t think he was 100 percent truthful to me.”

After the vote, Taylor proposed that City Attorney Jerry Mason write up a character resolution unique to Hayden.

“But, I, once and for all, publicly ask Mr. Pinkerton to either find an acceptable program to present to this and surrounding communities or to leave us alone.”

This sidebar appeared with the story: CHARACTER ISSUES Other cities

Rathdrum and Worley councils voted to pass the resolutions this summer. Idaho Character Foundation founder Dan Pinkerton’s organization has paid for every family in both cities to have a 75-page hardback book that describes qualities such as benevolence, honor and virtue.