Boy Scouts Reaffirm Ban on Gays

After a confidential two-year review by an 11-member special committee formed by the Boy Scouts of America, the organization has decided, despite protests by civil and gay-rights organizations and some members of its own board, to reaffirm its policy of excluding gay boys and men, the Los Angeles Times reports.

According to the statement, the special committee "came to the conclusion that this policy is absolutely the best policy for the Boy Scouts." Undoubtedly, plenty of people with an interest in the well-being of the organization and in equality will see things differently:

Spokesman Deron Smith, based at the Boy Scouts' headquarters outside Dallas, declined to identify members of the committee, but said in a statement sent to the Los Angeles Times on Tuesday that they represented "a diversity of perspectives and opinions" ...

"The review included forthright and candid conversation and extensive research and evaluations -- both from within Scouting and from outside of the organization," the statement said.

The special committee included professional Boy Scouts executives and adult volunteers, according to the statement, and was unanimous in its recommendation to preserve scouting's longstanding policy, upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2000.

As a result of the committee's recommendation, the Boy Scouts' executive board will take no further action on a recently submitted resolution asking for reconsideration of the membership policy, according to the statement ...

"Scouting believes that good people can personally disagree on this topic and still work together to achieve the life-changing benefits to youth through Scouting," the statement said. "While not all board members may personally agree with this policy, and may choose a different direction for their own organizations, BSA leadership agrees this is the best policy for the organization."

Read more at the Los Angeles Times.

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