Eagle Scouts Study Denied Publication by American Psychological Review Due to BSA’s Stances on Homosexuality and God

Baylor University’s Program for Prosocial Behavior recently concluded a nationwide study on Eagle Scouts. As noted by Rodney Stark, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of the Social Sciences at Baylor and co-director of ISR on the study’s website, it was found that Eagle Scouts, in comparison to regular Boy Scouts and non-participants, are much more likely to “exhibit significantly higher levels of health and recreation, connection, service and leadership, environmental stewardship, goal orientation, planning and preparedness, and character.”

 

Today Dr. Byron Johnson, the study’s principal investigator, gave a brief lecture and Q&A at the Heritage Foundation, where he mentioned his attempt to have the extensive findings published by the prestigious American Psychological Review.

 

Dr. Johnson explained that usually, a submission can be simply denied, or it can be denied with recommendation for changes to be resubmitted. Apparently the study was given very high marks but was actually rejected because the reviewers felt that “Eagle Scouts are homophobic and this duty to God thing,” prevented them from publishing the paper “in good conscience”. In the case of Boy Scouts of America v. Dale, the Supreme Court of the United States upheld the Boy Scouts’ of America right as a private organization, to set its own membership standards and not allow openly homosexual people as leaders under freedom of association. As well, the Boy Scout Oath specifically demands that scouts do their “duty to God”.

 

Although Dr. Johnson foresees more difficulty in printing the study, he explained that since the article has nothing to do with homosexuality or God, it shouldn’t be rejected based on current social debates but rather on any issue with the merits of the study.

 

It should be noted that American Psychological Association (APA) recently came out in defense of gay and lesbian parenting effectiveness after two new independent studies found that the, “strong assertions” about gay parenting, “including those made by the APA, are not “empirically warranted.”

 

Could it be the APA only supports research that fits their agenda?

 

This post was authored by Townhall.com editorial intern Bill Vollono.