An 11-member special committee, formed discreetly by the leaders of the Boy Scouts of America in 2010, emphatically reaffirmed their stance on homosexuality after a confidential two-year review. Coming to the conclusion that their policy of excluding gays from joining the Scouts is "absolutely the best policy," the organization's national spokesman, Deron Smith, stands by the unanimous decision. The long-standing policy that was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2000 has remained controversial ever since.
Chief Executive of the Boy Scouts, Bob Mazzuca, contends that most Scout families support the policy, saying, "The vast majority of the parents of youth we serve value their right to address issues of same-sex orientation with their family, with spiritual advisers and at the appropriate time and in the right setting. We fully understand that no single policy will accommodate the many diverse views among our membership or society."
The Scouts did not identify the members of the special committee that studied the issue, but said in a statement that they represented "a diversity of perspectives and opinions."
