IRVING, Tex. — A proposed shift by the Boy Scouts of America to drop its national ban on gay leaders and scouts, and allow local scout units to decide for themselves, was the center of attention as the organization’s national board gathered here on Monday for a three-day meeting and a vote on the issue.

But the undercurrents of the debate — a drop in participation in the Scouts over the last decade and a deep division between conservative and liberal church groups over the proposal — are raising the stakes even higher for the vote as a kind of proxy on the question of how scouting stays relevant in a changing social climate, Scout volunteers involved in the discussions said.

Read the complete story(Some news sites require registration)