SALT LAKE CITY — Three Utah Boy Scouts of America Councils say they will support their chartered partners in light of the lift on the ban on openly gay adult leaders and employees.
BSA’s National Executive Boardformally passed a resolution, Monday that removed national restrictions on openly gay adult leaders and employees. Of those present and voting, 79 percent voted in favor of the resolution, which took effect immediately.
The Utah National Parks, Great Salt Lake and Trapper Trails Councils released a joint statement saying they were disappointed that the LDS Church’s request to delay the vote was not granted by the BSA National Executive Board.
“Regardless of the outcome, we want to be part of the solution for LDS youth and all youth in the community,” the statement reads. “We will move forward in full support of the Church’s decisions and efforts while continuing our work to ‘prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law.’”
The councils that released the statement are located in Salt Lake City, Ogden and Orem.
Read the Utah National Parks, Great Salt Lake and Trapper Trails Councils full statement below:
“The Utah National Parks Council, Great Salt Lake Council and Trapper Trails Council remain committed to serving local youth and our community partners. In recent years, the Councils have put forth a concerted effort to better serve all of our chartered partners including The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who represent the majority of our 320,000 registered Scouts and Scouters in the state of Utah.
With the announcements of the past two days from both the Boy Scouts of America and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, many have expressed concern about the future of Scouting in the area. As a group, our three councils cannot speculate regarding the LDS Church’s decision in this matter, but we are deeply disappointed that the LDS Church’s request to delay the vote was not granted by the BSA National Executive Board.
Regardless of the outcome, we want to be part of the solution for LDS youth and all youth in the community. We will move forward in full support of the Church’s decisions and efforts while continuing our work to ‘prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law.’
We respect our chartered partners’ rights and decisions, and we will continue to serve them in whatever capacity they need. We have and always will make it our priority to build and better the lives of local youth.”
