Boy Scouts of America Amends Adult Leadership Policy
During the 2015 Boy Scouts of America National Annual Meeting in May, Dr. Robert M. Gates encouraged the Scouting family to reflect on the challenges, primarily regarding adult leadership standards, facing the BSA and potential alternatives for addressing them.
As a result, on Friday, July 10, the Boy Scouts of America Executive Committee adopted a resolution amending the adult leadership standards policy. The resolution was unanimously adopted by those present and voting. On Monday, July 27, it was ratified by the National Executive Board, making it official BSA policy.
Our Council supports the national board’s decision. We are focused on our shared vision and common goals – delivering the foremost character development and values-based leadership training program for local youth.
Chartered organizations will continue to select their adult leaders and religious chartered organizations may continue to use religious beliefs as criteria for selecting adult leaders, including matters of sexuality. This allows Scouting’s members, parents, and volunteers to select local units, chartered to organizations with similar beliefs, that best meet the needs of their families. It also respects the right of religious chartered organizations to choose adult volunteer leaders whose beliefs are consistent with their own. As always, to ensure everyone has the opportunity to be part of Scouting, Twin Rivers Council staff will work with individuals and families to find a chartered organization that is a good fit for them.
Scouting will continue to focus on reaching and serving youth to help them grow into good, strong citizens. For example, in our Council last year Scouts performed more than 110,000 hours of community service and collected more than one million items of food for local pantries. By focusing on the goals that unite us, we are able to accomplish incredible things for young people and the communities we serve.
During the 2015 Boy Scouts of America National Annual Meeting in May, Dr. Robert M. Gates encouraged the Scouting family to reflect on the challenges, primarily regarding adult leadership standards, facing the BSA and potential alternatives for addressing them.
As a result, on Friday, July 10, the Boy Scouts of America Executive Committee adopted a resolution amending the adult leadership standards policy. The resolution was unanimously adopted by those present and voting. On Monday, July 27, it was ratified by the National Executive Board, making it official BSA policy.
Our Council supports the national board’s decision. We are focused on our shared vision and common goals – delivering the foremost character development and values-based leadership training program for local youth.
Chartered organizations will continue to select their adult leaders and religious chartered organizations may continue to use religious beliefs as criteria for selecting adult leaders, including matters of sexuality. This allows Scouting’s members, parents, and volunteers to select local units, chartered to organizations with similar beliefs, that best meet the needs of their families. It also respects the right of religious chartered organizations to choose adult volunteer leaders whose beliefs are consistent with their own. As always, to ensure everyone has the opportunity to be part of Scouting, Twin Rivers Council staff will work with individuals and families to find a chartered organization that is a good fit for them.
Scouting will continue to focus on reaching and serving youth to help them grow into good, strong citizens. For example, in our Council last year Scouts performed more than 110,000 hours of community service and collected more than one million items of food for local pantries. By focusing on the goals that unite us, we are able to accomplish incredible things for young people and the communities we serve.
BSA Resolution Approved, Membership Policy Changes
May 23, 2013
For more information, contact:
pr@scouting.org
The Boy Scouts of America Statement:
"For 103 years, the Boy Scouts of America has been a part of the fabric of this nation, with a focus on working together to deliver the nation's foremost youth program of character development and values-based leadership training.
"Based on growing input from within the Scouting family, the BSA leadership chose to conduct an additional review of the organization's long-standing membership policy and its impact on Scouting's mission. This review created an outpouring of feedback from the Scouting family and the American public, from both those who agree with the current policy and those who support a change.
"Today, following this review, the most comprehensive listening exercise in Scouting's history the approximate 1,400 voting members of the Boy Scouts of America's National Council approved a resolution to remove the restriction denying membership to youth on the basis of sexual orientation alone. The resolution also reinforces that Scouting is a youth program, and any sexual conduct, whether heterosexual or homosexual, by youth of Scouting age is contrary to the virtues of Scouting. A change to the current membership policy
for adult leaders was not under consideration; thus, the policy for adults remains in place. The BSA thanks all the national voting members who participated in this process and vote.
"This policy change is effective Jan. 1, 2014, allowing the Boy Scouts of America the transition time needed to communicate and implement this policy to its approximately 116,000 Scouting units.
"The Boy Scouts of America will not sacrifice its mission, or the youth served by the movement, by allowing the organization to be consumed by a single, divisive, and unresolved societal issue. As the National Executive Committee just completed a lengthy review process, there are no plans for further review on this matter.
"While people have different opinions about this policy, we can all agree that kids are better off when they are in Scouting. Going forward, our Scouting family will continue to focus on reaching and serving youth in order to help them grow into good, strong citizens. America's youth need Scouting, and by focusing on the goals that unite us, we can continue to accomplish incredible things for young people and the communities we serve."
For more information, contact:
pr@scouting.org
The Boy Scouts of America Statement:
"For 103 years, the Boy Scouts of America has been a part of the fabric of this nation, with a focus on working together to deliver the nation's foremost youth program of character development and values-based leadership training.
"Based on growing input from within the Scouting family, the BSA leadership chose to conduct an additional review of the organization's long-standing membership policy and its impact on Scouting's mission. This review created an outpouring of feedback from the Scouting family and the American public, from both those who agree with the current policy and those who support a change.
"Today, following this review, the most comprehensive listening exercise in Scouting's history the approximate 1,400 voting members of the Boy Scouts of America's National Council approved a resolution to remove the restriction denying membership to youth on the basis of sexual orientation alone. The resolution also reinforces that Scouting is a youth program, and any sexual conduct, whether heterosexual or homosexual, by youth of Scouting age is contrary to the virtues of Scouting. A change to the current membership policy
for adult leaders was not under consideration; thus, the policy for adults remains in place. The BSA thanks all the national voting members who participated in this process and vote.
"This policy change is effective Jan. 1, 2014, allowing the Boy Scouts of America the transition time needed to communicate and implement this policy to its approximately 116,000 Scouting units.
"The Boy Scouts of America will not sacrifice its mission, or the youth served by the movement, by allowing the organization to be consumed by a single, divisive, and unresolved societal issue. As the National Executive Committee just completed a lengthy review process, there are no plans for further review on this matter.
"While people have different opinions about this policy, we can all agree that kids are better off when they are in Scouting. Going forward, our Scouting family will continue to focus on reaching and serving youth in order to help them grow into good, strong citizens. America's youth need Scouting, and by focusing on the goals that unite us, we can continue to accomplish incredible things for young people and the communities we serve."