HAYDEN - All five of Dirk Baird's sons are or have been Boy Scouts.

Three of them have earned Eagle Scout honors, with the other two climbing the ranks.

"Scouting has been a great program for my boys," said Baird, a local Mormon Church leader. "They've all grown and benefited from it. Scouting has been big in our family."

But for how long the Scouts will remain big with the Bairds or other families remains to be seen. The Boy Scouts of America voted Monday to lift the ban on openly gay employees and troop leaders, no longer allowing discrimination against its paid workers or at BSA-owned facilities.

The decision was made in light of potential lawsuits filed by gay adults who were shut out of their jobs, but in so doing, it has generated a backlash from many of scouting's most loyal constituents.

Tim McCandless, scout executive and CEO of the Inland Northwest Council, BSA, told The Press that chartered organizations may select the leaders they want.

"Under the new policy, chartered organizations are able to select adult volunteer leaders without regard to sexual orientation, continuing Scouting's longstanding policy of chartered organizations selecting their leaders," said McCandless. "This change allows Scouting's members and parents to select local units, chartered to organizations with similar beliefs, that best meet the needs of their families. This change also respects the right of religious chartered organizations to choose adult volunteer leaders whose beliefs are consistent with their own."

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or Mormon Church, has deep ties to Boy Scouts. Many Mormon youths are active in the program. The Church released an official statement Monday, available for viewing at www.mormonnewsroom.org, saying that it is re-evaluating its relationship with the Boy Scouts.

"The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is deeply troubled by (Monday)'s vote by the Boy Scouts of America National Executive Board," the statement says. "In spite of a request to delay the vote, it was scheduled at a time in July when members of the Church's governing councils are out of their offices and do not meet. When the leadership of the Church resumes its regular schedule of meetings in August, the century-long association with Scouting will need to be examined. The Church has always welcomed all boys to its Scouting units regardless of sexual orientation. However, the admission of openly gay leaders is inconsistent with the doctrines of the Church and what have traditionally been the values of the Boy Scouts of America."

The LDS Church has about 45 chartered units of about 150 units in North Idaho.

Baird, who serves as the president of the LDS Hayden Lake Stake, said that at this point, nothing has changed with local troops. He said he can't speak for the church and that LDS leaders have been instructed to refer media calls to church headquarters in Salt Lake City.

"We're moving forward until we hear otherwise," he told The Press on Friday.

McCandless said that while feelings about the decision to lift the ban are mixed, nothing about the Scouting program itself has changed.

"People are still reviewing the decision," McCandless told The Press. "I've heard from a small number of people - some in favor, some opposed to the change. Leaders, donors and Scouting families love what the Scout program delivers to youth. This decision is a national membership policy issue - it does not affect the program that we deliver each day to thousands of youth in North Idaho. Moving forward, Scouting will continue to focus on serving youth and helping them grow into good, strong citizens. Scouting delivers an incredible, life-changing impact in the lives of youth.

"We will unite on our shared commitment to prepare youth for success in life."