A plan to end the Boy Scouts of America’s national prohibition on gay membership was intended to be put to quiet internal discussion by the group’s executive board last week, but that plan was dashed when word of the proposal was leaked to the press, writes The New York Times.

Scouting officials said a leak from inside the organization late last month made it appear a change in the policy was imminent and reignited a fiery national debate on the ban, with activist groups on both sides pressuring Scouts leaders.

The board called off a scheduled vote on the proposal to allow local scouting organizations to make their own determination on admitting homosexual members and troop leaders. The issue will be taken up again at the Boy Scouts’ annual national meeting in May.