Disney cuts Boy Scout funding
The Walt Disney Company will cut funding to the聽Boy聽Scouts聽of America beginning in 2015 because of a policy that bans gay adult leaders in the organization.
The聽Boy聽Scouts聽organization is "disappointed" by the decision, which will affect the organization's ability to serve children, Deron Smith, a聽Boy聽Scouts聽spokesman, said in a statement Sunday. Disney does not provide direct funding to the聽Boy聽Scouts, but it donates money to some troops in exchange for volunteer hours completed by Disney employees, he said.
"We believe every child deserves the opportunity to be a part of the聽Scouting聽experience and we are disappointed in this decision because it will impact our ability to serve kids," he said.
David Jefferson, chief spokesman for The Walt Disney Company, did not respond to calls or emails.
Disney's decision came to light after the president of a local聽Boy聽Scout聽council based in Orlando, Fla., where Disney World is based, sent a memo alerting local troops to the decision.
The memo was posted on the website of聽Scouts聽for Equality, an organization that is critical of the聽Boy聽Scouts' policy to ban adult gay troop leaders.
The聽Boy聽Scouts聽lifted a ban on gay youth last year.
