Hudson Valley Boy Scout Troop Hires Openly Gay Camp Counselor

In a defiance of the Boy Scouts of America's official policy, a local troop has hired an openly gay Eagle Scout as camp counselor.

The Daily News reports that Pascal Tessier, an 18-year-old openly gay scout, will be working as a counselor at Ten Mile River Scout Camp in Sullivan County this summer. This is the first time in history that an openly gay adult has been hired by the Boy Scouts.

Two years ago, the Boy Scouts of America voted to allow openly gay scouts to remain in the organization, but continued the ban against open gay adult leaders. By hiring Tessier, the New York Boy Scouts chapter is publicly challenging that ban, and may have a legal fight on their hands.

The Boy Scouts have received Tessier's application for approval, but so far haven't responded. Tessier was in the news last year for publicly supporting a Seattle scoutmaster who was kicked out of the organization for being openly gay.