Boy Scouts of America president on gay leaders

On Monday, “the Boy Scouts’ national executive board, composed of 71 civic, corporate and church leaders, adopted the changes with 79 percent of those who participated in a telephone meeting voting in favor, according to an announcement issued by the Scouts”, The New York Times reports.

The organization’s 80-member board is also expected to forbid discrimination based on orientation in all its paying jobs and national offices.

Gates pointed out that no youth can be denied membership because of sexual orientation, and that no council can deny a charter to “a unit that is following the beliefs of its religious chartering organization”.

But initial reactions to the decision from groups on both sides suggested the issue would remain divisive.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said in a statement that the organization is “re-evaluating” its relationship with the Scouts.

Local Scout Executive Russell Etzenhouser says the quest is for good mentors.

“BSA officials should now demonstrate true leadership and begin the process of considering a full national policy of inclusion that does not allow discrimination against anyone because of who they are”.

Boy Scouts of America president, former Defense Secretary Robert Gates, in May said the long-standing ban on participation by openly gay adults was no longer sustainable.

The Boy Scouts of America has made a remarkable change by ending decades-long ban on gay scout leaders.

The Christian Science Monitor notes that as a result of its ban on gay individuals, over the years BSA’s membership has grown more conservative, with about 70 percent of troops now run by religious organizations.

Brown emphasized that the Boy Scouts of America was an educational organization chartered by Congress to teach character, leadership and mental and physical fitness. However, church-based troops are able to appoint volunteer leaders that follow their basic morals.

The national ban ends immediately and allows previously removed leaders to reapply for their positions. If otherwise qualified, a gay adult would be eligible to serve as a Scoutmaster or unit leader.

Religious groups, however, expressed stern opposition on the decision and have been apprehensive about the lifting of the ban on gay adults. U.S. President Barack Obama urged the organization to end a ban on gays.

Moreover, a number of major corporate sponsors, such as Lockheed Martin Corp. and Intel Corp., in recent years dropped their support for the Boy Scouts in protest of policies they considered discriminatory. In other words, troops that wish to exclude gay troop leaders may continue enforcing the ban.

In 2013, the organization allowed openly gay youth to be Scouts, but stopped short of allowing gay adults to be leaders.