Boy Scouts of America membership controversies

In Boy Scouts of America v. Dale (2000), the Supreme Court of the United States affirmed that as a private organization, the BSA can set its own membership standards.

On May 23, 2013, the BSA's National Council approved a resolution to remove the restriction denying membership to youth on the basis of sexual orientation alone effective January 1, 2014.

As early as 1978, the Boy Scouts of America circulated a memorandum among national executive staff stating that it was not appropriate for homosexuals to hold leadership positions in BSA (this has since changed).

"[17] For much of its existence, the BSA has taken the position that atheists are not appropriate role models of the Scout Oath and Law for boys, and thus have not accepted such persons as members or adult leaders.

The recognition of a God as the ruling and leading power in the universe and the grateful acknowledgment of /“His”/ favors and blessings are necessary to the best type of citizenship and are wholesome precepts in the education of the growing members.

The BSA recognizes religious awards for about 35 faith groups including Islam, Judaism, Baháʼí, Zoroastrianism, Hinduism, Sikhism and 28 varieties of Christianity.

Scouting believes same-sex attraction should be introduced and discussed outside of its program with parents, caregivers, or spiritual advisers, at the appropriate time and in the right setting.

"The policy change under discussion would allow the religious, civic, or educational organizations that oversee and deliver Scouting to determine how to address this issue," Deron Smith, public relations director, said in the statement.

[72] On February 6, the 70 member executive Board announced that it needed "more time for a deliberate review" of its policy banning gays and have delayed a final decision until the much larger National Annual Meeting in May 2013 which will have voting representatives from all of the local councils.

[73][74] On April 19, 2013, the Boy Scouts of America announced a proposal to no longer deny membership to youth on the basis of sexual orientation, but maintain its ban on openly gay adult leaders.

On July 10, 2015, the Boy Scouts of America Executive Committee agreed with Gates, and voted unanimously to approve a policy change that would effectively end the national ban on gay adults.

[84] During the period when BSA had restrictive homosexuality-related policies, there were expressions of support and opposition influenced by existing partisan interest groups and cultural divides in society: The membership controversy and subsequent litigation, some of which was in response to the 2000 ruling in Boy Scouts of America v. Dale, prompted a number of expressions of support for the BSA organization, program, or policies.

Train released a statement saying the group "strongly opposes any kind of policy that questions the equality of any American citizen ... We look forward to participating in the Jamboree this summer, as long as they make the right decision before then.

[111] In 2001, the Union for Reform Judaism's Commission on Social Action, citing a commitment to ending discrimination in all forms, issued a memorandum recommending that congregations stop hosting BSA troops and that parents withdraw their children from all of the Boy Scouts of America's programs.

[122] In December 2013, Lockheed Martin announced it would end donations to the BSA over the organization's ban on openly gay adults serving as leaders.

Spielberg resigned from the BSA Advisory Council in 2001, saying, "it has deeply saddened me to see the Boy Scouts of America actively and publicly participating in discrimination.

[140] However, after the Minuteman Council approved its non-discrimination bylaw, it rejected the merit badge application of an openly gay individual whose membership in the BSA had previously been revoked in New Hampshire.

[147] Some of the lawsuits dealt with the BSA's standards that require Scouts and Scouters to believe in a God, those in leadership positions to not be openly homosexual, and the exclusion of girls from membership in some programs.

[33] During the 1980s and 1990s, several people attracted media attention when they sued the BSA, attempting to make them accept atheists as members and openly homosexual individuals in leadership positions.

The courts repeatedly held that the Boy Scouts of America, and all private organizations, have a right to set membership standards in accordance with the First Amendment protected concept of freedom of association.

In particular, in Boy Scouts of America v. Dale, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2000 that the BSA's Constitutional right to freedom of association gave the organization the authority to establish its own membership and leadership standards and to expel a gay assistant Scoutmaster.

"[155] A number of public entities (including the cities of Chicago, San Diego, Tempe, Buffalo Grove, Berkeley, and Santa Barbara, as well as the states of California, Illinois, and Connecticut) canceled charitable donations (of money or preferential land access) that had historically been granted to the Scouts.

[154] In response to these changes and litigation, the federal government passed laws mandating that BSA units be given equal access to local and state-level governmental resources.

[167] The Support Our Scouts Act of 2005 requires state and local governments that receive HUD funding to provide BSA groups equal access to governmental forums (lands, facilities, etc.).

[177] Then, in February 2005, the House passed a resolution by a vote of 418 to 7, stating that "the Department of Defense should continue to exercise its long-standing statutory authority to support the activities of the BSA, in particular, the periodic national and world Scout jamborees.

In July 2001, President George W. Bush addressed the National Scout Jamboree via videotape and, although he did not directly discuss the controversies, reiterated his support for the organization.

[citation needed] On July 29, 2010, President Obama chose not to attend the Scouts' centennial Jamboree, sending a videotaped greeting instead and doing an interview on the daytime talk show The View.

In September 2013, some Baptist congregations, as well as churches from other Christian denominations, replaced their Boy Scouts of America Troops with those of the Trail Life USA program.

It is unacceptable to refuse Membership, or question a young person's suitability to continue to participate fully in a Section, if they express doubts about the meaning of the Promise.

Under pressure from parents, BSA leaders kick Big Gay Al out of the group and he is replaced by a very regimenting and masculine man who goes on to commit abuses.