Scouts could face ‘flood of litigation’ if policy changes

Altering the Boy Scouts of America's longstanding national membership policy to allow homosexuals would undermine a Supreme Court decision in the organization's favor and expose the Scouts to a "flood of litigation," Alliance Defending Freedom has warned in a letter to Scout leadership.

In 2000, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the Boy Scouts' policy of accepting for membership only those who adhere to the values in the Scout Oath and Law, which includes a promise to be "morally straight."

"BSA's consistent adherence to its values as embodied in the Scout Oath and Law were important factors that led to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in BSA's favor when its membership policy was challenged as a violation of a state public accommodations law," ADF said.

Scout leadership has entertained the idea that changing its policy would protect the organization from discrimination lawsuits, yet ADF said it would have the opposite effect. Read more