Judge Furious Over California Supreme Court Ban On Judges Serving As Boy Scout Leaders

SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY (CBS13) — A local judge is furious about a California Supreme Court ruling banning all judges in the state from belonging to the Boy Scouts.

The ruling is tied to the Boy Scouts' police that does not allow gay leaders.

San Joaquin County Judge Barbara Kronlund launched her vigorous opposition to the Boy Scout ban with a letter to the state's highest court.

Writing as a mom of a 13-year-old Boy Scout, she said she's willingly given up many personal freedoms to become a judge, but called this "a slippery and really dangerous slope" that would lead to "the infringement of my right to free exercise of religion."

But that powerful plea fell flat.

California's Supreme Court justices unanimously banned Kronlund and all state judges from Boy Scout leadership roles as long as the scouts continue to prohibit gays from becoming scout leaders.

Law professor John Myers says Kronlund gave up many of her rights, including freedom of expression, when she chose to take office.

"There's a big difference between restrictions on a judge's behavior and restrictions on ordinary citizens like you and I," he said. "Judges have to go inside a cocoon when they go on the bench."

The court's ruling follows a decision by the Boy Scouts to allow gay youth for the first time last year, but the ban on gay adults continues.