Framingham Parents Protest Boy Scouts' Anti-Gay Stance; Pack to Ignore Policy

But one Framingham Pack is protesting the policy and will accept all parents, guardians and boys, despite the national policy.

More than half of the parents of Cub Scout Pack 12, based out of Plymouth Church under Pack Leader Jim Been, sent a letter to the executive director of Knox Trail Council of Boy Scouts, based in Framingham, stating they have and will continue to ignore the anti-gay policy of Boy Scouts of America.

Our letter expresses our disappointment with the , said parent Jody Gladstein, who has a second grade son in the Pack.

The letter, submitted and signed by 38 Framingham parents states: "Our Scout Pack has been an important and powerful force in our community, and in the lives of our children, parents and guardians who have been involved. Pack 12 has taught us that being a Scout means being inclusive, supportive and standing up for what you believe in.

"We do not and never will discriminate on the basis of race, religion and sexual orientation. Pack 12 invites the participation of all interested 6- to 11-year old boys and their parents or guardians, without regard to sexual orientation. We urge the Knox Trail Council to adopt a similar stance on behalf of all of the MetroWest area districts."

Gladstein said the parents were "inspired by Troop 500 in Amherst, Massachusetts, who sent a similar letter back in July."

"We would like to invite other Packs in Framingham, MetroWest and Massachusetts to adopt a similar public stance, in hopes that the Boy Scouts of America will overturn its policy," said Gladstein.

The letter was signed by the parents who attended the first meeting of the year. A copy of the signed letter is attached to this report.

The Minuteman Council in Boston added sexual orientation to its nondiscrimination policy several years ago. Originally, the council’s 2001 policy allowed gays to serve in the Boy Scouts as long as they weren’t open about it. When the Boy Scouts affirmed the current policy, the council issued a statement disclosing its current nondiscrimination policy that includes openly gay scouts and leaders.

Despite the anti-gay stance by the national Boy Scouts of America, corporations continue to give big donations to the program.

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