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In reply to the discussion: NBC News: Boy Scouts Close to Ending Ban on Gay Members, Leaders [View all]Xithras
(16,191 posts)Scout camps are run by the regional scout councils. Regional scout councils are required to make their facilities available to any registered scout unit in their council area without discrimination. By pushing the decision all the way down to the chartering organization, the National Council will also be bypassing the Regional Council's ability to discriminate against units within their council area. Existing BSA policy already states that the boys and leaders in any registered unit must be given equal access to any training, outings, facilities, or other resources offered by that Regional Council.
The requirements to start a scouting unit are simple. You need 5 boys, 1 Cubmaster/Scoutmaster, 3 other adults (typically parents of the boys) willing to act as the steering committee to run the unit, and a chartering organization willing to underwrite the whole thing and pay the $20 annual fee (typically chartering organizations also arrange the meeting place for the unit, and many also help to underwrite other operating costs, though neither is required).
If a group like GLSEN chapter wanted to charter a scout unit, they could do so under this proposed change. Once chartered, they would have the same access to scouting resources and facilities as any other unit.