Some California judges with ties to Boy Scouts question ban

The California Supreme Court’s decision to prohibit state judges from belonging to the Boy Scouts and other youth groups that discriminate against gays did not sit well with some jurists.

The Los Angeles Times reported Sunday that several judges with children who are Boy Scouts or who are active in Scouting themselves wrote to oppose the new membership policy before the court approved it on Friday.

Among them was San Joaquin County Superior Court Barbara Kronlund, who said the policy would violate her religious rights under the First Amendment. Riverside County Superior Court Judge John Vineyard commented that his being an Eagle Scout and Scoutmaster was in no way incompatible with serving on the bench.

The Boy Scouts of America started allowing openly gay boys to be Scouts last year, but does not permit gay adults to be leaders.