Boy Scout Board Approves End To Blanket Ban On Gay Adults

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) — The Boy Scouts of America have ended a blanket ban on gay adult leaders while allowing church-sponsored Scout units to maintain the exclusion because of their faith.

The new policy, aimed at easing a controversy that embroiled the Boy Scouts for years and threatened the organization with lawsuits, takes effect immediately.

It was approved on Monday by the BSA's 80-member National Executive Board in a teleconference.

Also, today the Boy Scouts of America shared this video of National President Dr. Robert M. Gates speaking on the policy change.

The stage had been set for Monday's action on May 21, when the BSA's president, former Defense Secretary Robert Gates, told the Scouts' national meeting that the long-standing ban on participation by openly gay adults was no longer sustainable. He said the ban was likely to be the target of lawsuits that the Scouts were likely to lose.

(TM and © Copyright 2015 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2015 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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