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Boy Scouts Exec Says He Doesn’t Support Organization’s Anti-Gay Policy
By: Associated Press, Michael Locklear
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A corporate executive who serves on the governing board of the Boy Scouts of America says he doesn't support the Scouts' policy of excluding gays and will work from within to seek a change.
Ernst & Young CEO James Turley, whose company has welcomed gays in its own workforce, becomes the first member of the Scouts' Executive Board known to make a public statement disapproving the policy.
Said Turley, "I intend to continue to work from within the BSA Board to actively encourage dialogue and sustainable progress."
The statement comes after Jennifer Tyrrell of Belmont County was booted from her position as a Cub Scout leader because of her sexuality.
She started a petition about two months ago on the website Change.org to get herself reinstated. It now has nearly 300,000 signatures.
Last week, the Scouts confirmed there will be a review of a resolution that would allow individual units to accept gays as adult leaders. However, the organization said the review was routine procedure, and there were no plans to change the membership policy.