Boy Scouts’ Policy

* Your article (Feb. 8) stated that “the Boy Scouts . . . bars gays because it believes them to be at odds with its oath to be morally straight.” This is a misstatement of fact and in all fairness to the Boy Scouts of America needs to be corrected.

The Boy Scouts is an organization that is structured to assist parents in raising boys to be responsible men. As such, values and policies of the organization are responsive to, and reflect, the values of the parents. The impact of a role model on pre-adolescents and adolescents need not be detailed here.

The policy of the Boy Scouts of America not to allow avowed gays to be Scout masters or other adult leaders is a direct reflection of the wishes, desires and instruction of the parents who support the Boy Scouts and entrust their young men to these adult leaders. It is this position exclusively, and not any desire in the part of the National Council or the Los Angeles Council, to be judgmental of anyone’s lifestyle or of their rights.

HOWARD B. ANDERSON

Los Angeles Area Council, Boy Scouts