After more than a week of debate about The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) ban on gay scouts, the organization has announced that it has postponed consideration of the policy until this Spring.
In a statement released to media outlets, BSA said the organization needed time to weigh the decision. An announcement on the policy had been expected Feb. 6.
"After careful consideration and extensive dialogue within the Scouting family, along with comments from those outside the organization, the volunteer officers of the Boy Scouts of America's National Executive Board concluded that due to the complexity of this issue, the organization needs time for a more deliberate review of its membership policy," BSA said in a statement.
The organization goes on to say that BSA's national council will take action at the organization's national meeting in May.
The organization announced in late January that it was considering removing its national ban against gay scouts, allowing local chapters to decide for themselves. That announcement came just months after the scouts reaffirmed the ban.
LGBT organizations like GLAAD praised the proposed action on the policy, but confusion arose after the Human Rights Campaign criticized the proposal as inadequate.
"It might sound like good news," HRC President Chad Griffin wrote in an email to supporters. "But it's not good enough."
Griffin called on the scouts to institute a non-discrimination policy.