The Boy Scouts of America told a Seattle-area church that it wasn’t welcome to host Troop 98 any longer because congregation leaders have rallied around a gay man who’s serving as cub leader, against BSA policy.
The Boy Scouts of America’s newly revised policy allows gays to join as members, but bans gay adults.
NBC News reported that the BSA sent messages to parents of Troop 98 members to alert them that Rainier Beach United Methodist Church is no longer an authorized charter partner because the troop leader, Geoff McGrath, is openly gay.
“Because the church no longer agrees to the terms of the BSA chartered organization agreement, which includes following BSA policies, it is no longer authorized to offer the Scouting program,” said Deron Smith, a Boy Scouts spokesman, to NBC News.
The Rev. Monica Corsaro said the BSA’s announcement wasn’t a surprise but was disappointing.
“Breaking us up like this seems to go against everything the Boy Scouts is about,” Ms. Cosaro told NBC News. “It seems to me that when you are in a dispute with a partner, you try to work it out with the partner. It’s very clear we’re not viewed as an equal partner.”
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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