While the 6- to-10-year-old Cub Scouts of Los Altos’ Pack 78 do what scouts do, their leaders are taking a stand regarding the Boy Scouts of America policy on the exclusion of gay scouts and leaders.
On the pack’s website a message reading in part, “Pack 78 will continue our open policy to embrace all boys regardless of race, religion, skin color, national origin, disabilities or sexual orientation.”
Nancy Bremeau, the pack committee chair, and mother of 9-year-old Cub Scout, Nicolas, says it’s not about what they say to the kids, it’s about what they want to say to families and their community.
“In our particular pack, we had a real outcry from the parents who felt we needed to take a stand and make it heard how we felt as a community,” Bremeau said. “All of our parents are in support of the BSA changing their policies to include all gay and same sex families.”
The BSA – Boy Scouts of America – said last month that it was considering recinding the ban on gay scouts and leaders, however put off the decision until May.
But the pressure is mounting. The California Senate is considering the “Youth Equality Act,” a bill that would revoke the tax exempt status of organizations that exclude gay members. A petition in support has more than 10,000 signatures.
Bremeau says that the Scouts teach character and that excluding gay members is not in line with the values she wants her son to get from the experience. While Pack 78 retained its sponsorship through the Los Altos Rotary, but depending on what the national Boy Scout leaders decide, Bremeau says there could be fallout for their chapter of 65 families.
“If they were to come out in a hard stance against having any gay membership, then it probably is possible we could lose our chapter,” Bremeau said. When asked if even then the stance would be worth it, she said it would be.
