City panel votes to nix Boy Scouts-connected front group

A commission in the nation's second-largest city, by a unanimous vote, is forcing its fire department to drop part of its cadet program administered by a group it says is a front for the Boy Scouts of America to skirt anti-discrimination policy.

The programs in question were developed by Learning for Life, an affiliate of the Boy Scouts, and adopted by the Los Angeles Fire Department. The Learning for Life mission statement, as retrieved from their website, reads: "It is the mission of Learning for Life to enable young people to become responsible individuals by teaching positive character traits, career development, leadership, and life skills so they can make moral choices and achieve their full potential." While materials have also stated that participation is not restricted based on criteria such as race, religion and sexual orientation, the Fire Commission and Lambda Legal contend that the organization is at odds with city anti-discrimination policy due to its Boy Scouts ties. Full story HERE.