Boy Scouts of America Considers Ending the Ban on Gays

The ban has caused numerous heated debates and now, The Boy Scouts' national board is thinking of lifting the ban.

No other U.S. youth organization has served as many young boys than The Boy Scouts of America and while their numbers have recently dropped, they still remain a prominent group.

"The actual mission of scouting is to help young people make ethical decisions in their lifetime by instilling in them values and character development that scouting does through the scout law," says Mark Barbernitz, Scout Executive Director.

They hold strongly onto the policy that doesn't allow homosexual leadership.

"The boys meet in den meetings, camp outings, they go on trip meetings, sexuality isn't a topic. It just doesn't come up," adds Barbernitz.

One thing that does keep coming up is the decision to eliminate the gay ban.

The Boy Scouts of American is expected to vote this week on whether or not to end the national ban. It's something the organization has only reinforced since August.

Barbernitz says the ban reflects our modern society.

"Obviously, there are pressure groups and the world is changing. Both presidential candidates mentioned equal rights and president of the United States in his inauguration about gay rights. Certainly society is changing and values are being questioned," adds Barbernitz.

The national board will either be eliminating the ban or changing the policy altogether.

Barbernitz adds, "The change in the policy is simply allowing unit charter partners to make the leadership. They've always had that option, that each unit charter partner has the ability to select and approve their leadership."

If the policy is changed, it will be up to each organization to accept that individual or not but for now, the local scout in Hagerstown just wants to refocus on fulfilling their mission.

The Boy Scouts of America will be voting on this heated issue Wednesday and a final decision will be determined.