Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said Friday that Scouting America, formerly known as the Boy Scouts, agreed to abandon its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and ensure private spaces for males and females. 
Hegseth said the Pentagon would continue providing support to Scouting America contingent on its compliance with demands to drop woke policies. He added that the department would yank funding if the organization did not follow through on its commitment to end DEI policies. 
&#8220;After 2012, however, the Boy Scouts lost their way, and a once great organization became gravely wounded. Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) crept in. The name was changed to ‘Scouting America.’  Girls were accepted,” Hegseth said in a video message.  &#8220;The focus on God as the ruler of the universe was watered down to include openness to humanism and Earth-centered pagan religions. Scouting became an organization that no longer supported and celebrated boys.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The Department of War has officially put Scouting America on notice.
It’s time to get back to basics — and DoW is leading the charge. <a href="https://t.co/EnY9mvaFLX">pic.twitter.com/EnY9mvaFLX</a>
— Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar/status/2027369564531818827?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 27, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Historically, the department has supported the Scouts by providing personnel and access to equipment, installations, facilities, and office space. Hegseth said the changes adopted by the organization since 2012 “jeopardized the relationship with this department and I was very seriously considering ending our support of scouting altogether.&#8221;
Hegseth said Scouting America agreed to comply with President Donald Trump’s executive order on &#8220;Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity,” which bars federal funding for organizations that promote DEI. He described the move as one of several “key reforms” the group had agreed to implement. 
He said the organization would be &#8220;reviewing and replacing politicized, divisive, and discriminatory language throughout the organization&#8217;s programs and all publications. No more DEI. Zero.”
Hegseth added that the organization would discontinue a DEI-focused merit badge and introduce a new military service badge. He said Scouting America would also clarify its policies to ensure that showers, tents, and other private spaces were kept sex-specific. 
“Scouting America will modify its policy to make clear that membership will be based solely on biological sex at birth and not gender identity,” Hegseth said. “That means that the application, any application, will have only two sex designations, male and female, and the application must match the applicant&#8217;s birth certificate. Scouting will also make clear that biological boys and girls will not be allowed to occupy or share intimate spaces together.”
In a statement to The Daily Wire, Scouting America said it had engaged in dialogue with the Trump administration to comply with the DEI executive order, but added that it would keep its current name and emphasized that girls would still be welcome.
&#8220;Over several months, we engaged in dialogue with Department leadership to align on how we could deepen our service to military families, while making programmatic updates to comply with Executive Order 14173,&#8221; the organization said. &#8220;Today we are moving forward with implementing new programmatic elements that deliver on that mission: waiving registration fees for military families, launching a new merit badge focused on military service and veterans, and reinforcing our commitment to Scouting’s foundational ideas: leadership, character, duty to God, duty to country and service. &#8221;
Hegseth said that the Department of War would review Scouting America’s compliance with the agreement and reassess its support in six months to determine whether to continue providing funding.
Earlier this month, Hegseth <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hegseths-war-department-says-boy-scouts-must-roll-back-woke-or-lose-military-support">gave</a> an ultimatum to Scouting America, telling the organization to ditch DEI or lose support from the Department of War. Before rebranding to Scouting America, the organization was known as the Boy Scouts for more than a century. Hegseth said he would like to see the organization return to its original name.

SECRETARY OF WAR PETE HEGSETH, COLORADO

Trump Admin Strikes Deal With Boy Scouts To End Woke Policies — Here Are The Reforms

Boy Scouts

Department of War

Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI)

Pentagon

Pete Hegseth

The Department of War gave an ultimatum to Scouting America, formerly known as the Boy Scouts of America, to roll back its woke policies and DEI initiatives or lose its continued partnership with the military.
“From Day One at the War Department, we have made it very clear: No more DEI at DoW. Zero tolerance,” Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell shared in a statement posted to X. He went on to say that the department had been “reviewing its relationship” with the Boy Scouts after the organization had “lost its way.” 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
STATEMENT:
From Day One at the War Department, we have made it very clear: No more DEI at DoW. Zero tolerance.
As a result, over the past several months, the Department of War has been reviewing its relationship with Scouting America—formerly known as the Boy Scouts of America.…
— Sean Parnell (@SeanParnellASW) <a href="https://twitter.com/SeanParnellASW/status/2018495511360053609?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“[F]or more than a decade now, Scouting America&#8217;s leadership has made decisions that run counter to the values of this administration and this Department of War, including an embrace of DEI and other social justice, gender-fluid ideological stances. This is unacceptable,” the statement continued. 
He said their partnership with scouts, including support of the National Jamboree celebration, was in jeopardy, but now they are “near a final agreement&#8221; as Scouting America has “firmly committed to a return to core principles. Back to God and country—immediately!”
The statement concluded that Scouting America will continue to partner with the Department of War, provided it “rapidly implements” common sense reforms. “They are on the clock, and we are watching,” the post warned. 
Scouting America provided a <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/02/03/hegseth-boy-scouts-scouting-america/">statement</a> to the Washington Post Tuesday evening, saying, “For nearly 116 years Scouting has stood as a cornerstone of American ideals, good citizenship, service, and adventure for American youth. We are encouraged by tonight’s social media post by the Pentagon, and we look forward to providing more details as we move ahead.”
In November, NPR <a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/11/25/nx-s1-5615164/pentagon-scouting-hegseth-cut-ties">reported</a> that the Defense Department was planning to cut funding and support to Scouting America due to it becoming an organization designed to &#8220;attack boy-friendly spaces.” The documents allegedly criticized the organization for promoting DEI principles. One memo quoted Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as saying, &#8220;The organization once endorsed by President Theodore Roosevelt no longer supports the future of American boys.&#8221;
The Boy Scouts have long served as a natural bridge to the military. The Pentagon formally backed the organization beginning in 1937, supplying trucks, doctors, medics, logistical support, and even aviation demonstrations at the National Jamboree. For the military, it doubled as a valuable recruiting channel: Eagle Scouts routinely entered at higher ranks, and about 20% of service-academy cadets came from scouting backgrounds.
But that reputation changed over the years. The group rebranded itself from Boy Scouts to Scouts BSA in 2018 and became “Scouting America” in 2025. This was all in an effort to allow girls to join and be more inclusive, but ultimately led to drastic <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/boy-scouts-want-to-include-everyone-but-now-no-one-wants-to-join?author=Amanda+Harding&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Boy+Scouts+Want+To+Include+Everyone%2C+But+Now+No+One+Wants+To+Join">membership drops</a>.

Hegseth’s War Department Says Boy Scouts Must Roll Back Woke Or Lose Military Support

Pentagon Says Boy Scouts Will Roll Back Woke Policies, DEI Initiatives

Wokeness

War Secretary Pete Hegseth is reportedly preparing to sever the military’s century-old partnership with the organization once known proudly as the Boy Scouts.
According to draft memos <a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/11/25/nx-s1-5615164/pentagon-scouting-hegseth-cut-ties">reviewed by NPR</a>, Hegseth argues that Scouting America — after years of surrendering to leftist ideology — has abandoned the very mission that made it one of the nation’s most respected training grounds for leadership, character, and masculine virtue.
The Boy Scouts were once endorsed by Theodore Roosevelt and long served as a natural bridge to the military. The Pentagon formally backed the organization beginning in 1937, supplying trucks, doctors, medics, logistical support, and even aviation demonstrations at the National Jamboree. For the military, it doubled as a valuable recruiting channel: Eagle Scouts routinely entered at higher ranks, and about 20% of service-academy cadets came from scouting backgrounds.
But Hegseth says that era is over. According to Hegseth, the leaked documents indicate that Scouting America has become “genderless,” promotes “gender confusion,” and now devotes itself to DEI initiatives rather than merit and accountability. The group’s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/boy-scouts-now-officially-scouting-america-champion-dei-principles?utm_source=chatgpt.com">rebranding</a> — from “Boy Scouts” to “Scouts BSA” in 2018, and now to “Scouting America” in 2025 — symbolizes, in Hegseth’s view, an institution hollowed out by the same ideological forces transforming much of American civic life.
Right now, DailyWire+ annual memberships are fifty percent off during our Black Friday sale. Join now at <a href="http://dailywire.com/blackfriday" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dailywire.com/blackfriday</a>.
“Drafts of a report to Congress obtained by NPR show Hegseth invoking that clause — accusing Scouting America of fostering ‘gender confusion,’” NPR reported. “His memo to the House and Senate Armed Services committees argues the Scouts have strayed from their mission to ‘cultivate masculine values.’ It also claims that with international conflicts and a tight budget, sending troops, doctors, and vehicles to a 10-day youth event would harm national security by diverting resources from border operations and protecting U.S. territory.”
Scouting America’s leadership responded with disappointment, insisting the group remains nonpartisan, rooted in duty to God and country, and committed to building ethical leaders. But their assurances ring hollow after years of DEI programming.
“In 2020, Scouting America added a new requirement for scouts working to achieve the group’s highest rank, Eagle Scout: A ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’ badge, later renamed the ‘Citizenship in Society’ badge,’” <a href="https://www.vanityfair.com/news/story/pete-hegseth-boy-scouts-scouting-usa-congress">Vanity Fair</a> noted.
For many conservatives, Hegseth’s move is not an attack on American tradition —  it’s an overdue acknowledgment that the institution once called the Boy Scouts no longer resembles what it was.
As the cultural Left remakes legacy organizations in its own image, Hegseth is signaling that the U.S. military will no longer subsidize the transformation.

2025 San Francisco Pride Parade

U.S. Military’s Alliance With Boy Scouts Could Collapse As Hegseth Calls Out DEI Overreach

U.S. Military

Last weekend, after being in existence for 114 years, the organization formerly known as the Boy Scouts officially changed its name to Scouting America in an attempt to be more inclusive, as the organization offers merit badges championing DEI principles.
The Boy Scouts dropped “Boy” from their name in 2018 and became Scouts BSA. Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of the Boy Scouts, said succinctly, “Scouting is a game for boys under the leadership of boys under the direction of a man.”
“The change was made to reflect the organization’s ongoing commitment to welcoming every youth in America to experience the benefits of Scouting,” Scouting America <a href="https://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2024/05/07/what-our-organizations-name-change-means-and-doesnt-mean-to-scouts-and-leaders/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stated</a>. “Our new name is representative of the path we want Scouting to chart for the next century. &#8230; We recently celebrated the five-year anniversary of welcoming girls into the Cub Scouts and Scouts BSA programs. (Scouts BSA was formerly known as &#8216;Boy Scouts.&#8217;) There are currently 176,234 girls and young women across all BSA programs, including more than 6,000 who have earned the rank of Eagle Scout.&#8221;
“Though our name will be new, our mission remains unchanged: We are committed to teaching young people to be Prepared. For Life,” Scouting America president and CEO Roger A. Krone said. “This will be a simple but very important evolution as we seek to ensure that everyone feels welcome in Scouting.”
Scouting America includes a DEI badge titled the “Citizenship in Society Badge.” Scouting America <a href="https://filestore.scouting.org/filestore/merit_badge_reqandres/CitizenshipSociety_ScoutReqs.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">says</a> of the badge, “The focus of the Citizenship in Society Badge is to provide you with information on diversity, equity, inclusion, and ethical leadership. You’ll learn why these qualities are important in society and in Scouting &#8230;”
The organization also <a href="https://www.scouting.org/about/diversity-equity-inclusion/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">works</a> with VIEW, stating, “The mission of VIEW is to promote an inclusive community for Scouting America’s LGBTQ+ employees and their allies. The group will strive to support diversity across the organization.” Lisa Schuchart serves as Scouting America’s Chief Diversity Officer. The organization has a rainbow-colored statement that reads, “Being yourself is never the wrong thing to do.”
In an <a href="https://www.scouting.org/executive-comms-blog/an-open-letter-on-scouting-america-from-chief-scout-executive-roger-krone/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">open letter</a>, Krone asserted that the organization still championed faith, writing, “Recently, some have wondered if Scouting’s commitment to faith was still strong. They supposed that by changing our name we might somehow be moving away from our core ideals. I can assure you that nothing could be further from the truth. The Scout Oath and Law begin with Duty to God and conclude with Reverent.”
The Scout Law <a href="https://www.scouting.org/about/faq/question10/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">states</a>, “On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; to help other people at all times; to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.”
Mark Hancock, the CEO of <a href="https://www.traillifeusa.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trail Life USA</a>, an avowedly Christian organization that caters to boys, stated, “While the Boy Scouts abandon their traditional boy-centered roots, we are dedicated to providing boys and their families a space that is geared towards boys. It may make financial sense for them to allow girls to join the ranks. But how is this beneficial for boys in a time when so many statistics point to boys losing ground? Scouting America has made it clear that their primary focus is no longer training boys to be men, nor do they prioritize aligning with biblical values.”

Pride Week 2014

Boy Scouts Now Officially ‘Scouting America,’ Champion DEI Principles

Social Issues

U.S.

What’s in a name? When you’re a boy scout, the answer is, not very much.
The once respected club for boys has been in decline for years and as of this week’s rebranding announcement, it could be the final death knell for the more than century old organization. 
Boy Scouts is no longer called Boy Scouts. The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/boy-scouts-of-america-rebranding-to-scouting-america-so-everyone-feels-welcomed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rebrand</a> is meant to attract more girls to join, but in reality, the change may inspire neither to have any interest. 
The national scouting organization underwent a major change in 2018 when it started allowing girls to join the Cub Scouts, which is for children aged 7 to 10. The following year, the Boy Scouts program for older kids ages 11 to 17 began admitting young women.
The new name will reflect these changes as the group, which formerly switched to “Scouts BSA” will now rebrand as “Scouting America,” effective February 8, 2025, the 115th anniversary of the organization.
BSA President and CEO Roger A. Krone said the name change was made in part to encourage girls to join the program since it will no longer have the name “boy” in it. 
“While this may be a surprise to some of you, for us this is a straightforward evolution and the next natural step in ensuring all American youth feel welcomed and recognized in an organization that is meant to serve all Americans,” Krone said in a press release about the name change, per <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/07/us/boy-scouts-rebrands-scouting-america-reaj/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CNN</a>.
The CEO added that the change will not alter the organization’s mission of preparing “young people over their lives to make ethical and moral choices by instilling the scout oath, and the scout law. America’s values are scouting values.”
This change is meant to be inclusive, but the more BSA waters down the rules and regulations to welcome everyone, the less anyone will want to be part of it. 
Drama in the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) organization has been going on for years. In 1991, the parents of Margot Goldstein (nee Mankes) sued the club for sex-based discrimination when their daughter wasn’t allowed to attend an all-boys sleep-away camp. 
No one noticed Goldstein had joined until it was time for camp, and afterwards, she was kicked out of her cub scout pack for being female, which went against scout bylaws. “I didn’t understand at 8 years old why it was such a big deal that I was a girl,” told <a href="https://time.com/4978338/boy-scouts-girls-lawsuit-history/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Time</a> in 2017, the same year the organization started allowing girls to join. “How is a parent supposed to say, ‘Because you’re a girl they don’t think you’re capable of this thing?&#8217;”
The young girl had apparently joined her local Girl Scout troop but was “bored” there.
Compare the statements made by a BSA spokesperson in 1991 to those made today. When the Goldstein’s case was making national headlines, Blake Lewis said, “Our feeling is that the Cub Scouts and the Boy Scouts were specifically designed to meet the needs for young boys. And the needs for young boys are very different from young girls.”
What was obvious to most people in the late 90s has since fallen out of fashion. Now girls can be Boy Scouts, which aren’t even Boy Scouts. The distinction between the needs of boys and girls has been removed, making the program attractive to fewer would-be scouts.
The organization was founded by Robert Baden-Powell in England in 1907. The Boy Scouts of America was then established in 1910 across the pond.
<div id="attachment_735649" style="width: 762px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-735649" class="size-large wp-image-735649" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/05/GettyImages-530849260-752x576.jpg" alt="(Original Caption) Colonel Roosevelt is shown with the group of Boy Scouts of Nassau County, to whom he presented War emblems for their great work in the Liberty Loan campaign. The medals were presented at the Colonel's Home at Sagamore Hill. The medals went to boys who sold bonds in ten or more homes. The Boys sold about $100,000,000 of the bonds throughout the country, according to the reports. There were about 8,000,000 subscribers to the Loan and of these, the boys placed about 400,000 or one twentieth. (Photo by George Rinhart/Corbis via Getty Images)" width="752" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/05/GettyImages-530849260-752x576.jpg 752w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/05/GettyImages-530849260-300x230.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/05/GettyImages-530849260-768x588.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/05/GettyImages-530849260.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 752px) 100vw, 752px" />George Rinhart/Corbis via Getty Images</div>
 A 1917 pamphlet described Boy Scouts as &#8220;nothing less than applied Christianity.&#8221; As the pamphlet states:
<blockquote>&#8220;We aim for the practice of Christianity in their everyday life and dealings, and not merely the profession of its theology on Sundays. &#8230; There is a vast reserve of loyal patriotism and Christian spirit lying dormant in our nation to-day, mainly because it sees no direct opportunity for expressing itself. &#8230; In this joyous brotherhood there is vast opportunity open to all. &#8230; It gives every man his chance of service for his fellow-men and for God.”</blockquote>
Patriotism, responsibility, duty to God — these concepts have all been shoved to the side in favor of inclusion. And in trying to please everyone, BSA is really pleasing no one.
Even budging on gender requirements wasn’t enough for the critics. As of 2017, the organization started allowing transgender-identifying youth to join scout ranks. This change came as the result of another lawsuit, this one from another New Jersey scout who was allegedly kicked out of a troop for identifying as trans.
“We’ve taken the opportunity to evaluate and update our approach,” Chief Scout Executive Michael Surbaugh <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2017/01/30/us/boy-scouts-transgender-membership/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> of the rules update. “I hope you’ll join with me in embracing the opportunity to bring scouting to more families and children who can benefit from what our organization has to offer.”
He added, “This is an area that we will continue to thoughtfully evaluate to bring the benefits of scouting to the greatest number of youth possible all while remaining true to our core beliefs.”
The organization began allowing gay youth in 2013 and also lifted a ban on gay adult leaders in 2015. 
Now, everyone is invited &#8212; girls, boys, boys who believe they are girls, and girls who believe they are boys. Anyone who is gay. So why has membership been on the decline?
Like so many other large organizations, BSA was plagued with a sexual abuse scandal which eventually resulted in their filing for bankruptcy protection in 2020. The group has since sold or mortgaged almost all their assets in an effort to pay a $2.5 billion settlement over the sex abuse claims.
With that came a steep decline in boys (and girls) signing up to join.
Between 2019 and 2021, the Boy Scouts lost close to half its membership. BSA’s Cub Scouts and Scouts BSA programs went from 1.97 million in 2019 to 1.12 million in 2020, representing a 43% decline, per AP. That number dropped even lower to 762,000 in 2021.
For comparison’s sake, in the 1970s, scout membership was as high as 5 million.
Some of this will likely be blamed on the pandemic, which certainly contributed. But that’s not the whole story. Boy Scouts have become a pale imitation of what they once were. 
As BSA allows everyone in, and continues establishing itself as an inclusion-focused club that anyone can join, they shouldn’t be surprised when no one does.
It can best be summed up by a tweet from Georgia-based representative Andrew Clyde. He <a href="https://twitter.com/Rep_Clyde/status/1787889811895771413" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a> of the rebrand, “Wokeness destroys everything it touches.”

A troop of young, Weblo Boy Scouts salute during an America flag ceremony at their camp in Colorado.

Boy Scouts Want To Include Everyone, But Now No One Wants To Join

Girl Scouts

Readers Pass

Woke Culture

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/boy-scouts">Boy Scouts of America</a> announced on Tuesday that it will undergo a rebrand to be more &#8220;inclusive.&#8221; 
The national scouting organization underwent a major change in 2018 when it started allowing girls to join the Cub Scouts, which is for <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/children">children</a> aged 7 to 10. The following year, the Boy Scouts program for older kids ages 11 to 17 began admitting young women.
The new name will reflect these changes as the group, which formerly switched to “Scouts BSA” will now rebrand as “Scouting America,” effective February 8, 2025, the 115th anniversary of the organization.
BSA President and CEO Roger A. Krone said the name change was made in part to encourage girls to join the program since it will no longer have the name “boy” in it. 
“While this may be a surprise to some of you, for us this is a straightforward evolution and the next natural step in ensuring all American youth feel welcomed and recognized in an organization that is meant to serve all Americans,” Krone said in a press release about the name change, per <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/07/us/boy-scouts-rebrands-scouting-america-reaj/index.html">CNN</a>. 
The CEO added that the change will not alter the organization’s mission of preparing “young people over their lives to make ethical and moral choices by instilling the scout oath, and the scout law. America’s values are scouting values.”
The change to allow girls into Boy Scouts has been mired in controversy. Besides the backlash from leaders and participants, Girl Scouts filed a federal lawsuit claiming they were entitled to the sole use of the term “scout” when referencing leadership opportunities for girls after BSA started using the word “scout” more generally. The courts ruled in favor of BSA, saying they did not violate the Girls Scouts’ trademark.
“The benefit of the single-gender environment has been well-documented by educators, scholars, and other girl- and youth-serving organizations,” Girl Scouts said in a press release at the time, per <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/kimelsesser/2024/05/07/boy-scouts-rebrand-as-scouting-america-to-boost-inclusivity/?sh=4fa9da213355">Forbes</a>.
More than 1 million children are enrolled in Boys Scouts of America, with 176,234 girls and young women represented in that number. BSA said in a news release that more than 6,000 young women earned the prestigious Eagle Scout rank, CNN reported.
Bob Brady, a scout leader in New Jersey, explained his decision to form an all-girls BSA troop. 
“Five and a half years after we started, you see people in town who see us marching a parade, doing a service project saying ‘Girls can be Scouts? It’s called Boy Scouts,’” Brady said during a news conference. “It takes some explaining to do… so I think this is gonna be great to help with recruiting and let everyone know the inclusive program that we’ve become over the last decade.”
<a href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-9096" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://onelink.to/dwapp&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1715184052205000&amp;usg=AOvVaw30mpznqHO0I3crFOdodkQW">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP</a>
“Young girls, young boys, there’s nothing about the Scout oath or a law that is inherently masculine or inherently feminine and applies across the board. Young girls in 2024 like to go camping, they like to go hiking,” he continued. “You know what, I’ve had more moms and women tell me over the last five or six years, I wish I had the opportunity to be in scouts when I was a kid.&#8221;

Boy Scouts Of America Rebranding To ‘Scouting America’ So Everyone Feels ‘Welcomed’

Boy Scouts Of America Rebranding To 'Scouting America' So Everyone Feels 'Welcomed'

Children

Gender

United States

The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) are welcoming their inaugural class of female Eagle Scouts on Sunday, the first since the organization began accepting girls in 2019.
Approximately 1,000 girls were slated to be a part of the first class, <a href="https://abc13.com/10359255/?ex_cid=TA_KTRK_TW&amp;taid=6032a45718b9b20001c57774&amp;utm_campaign=trueAnthem%3A+Trending+Content&amp;utm_medium=trueAnthem&amp;utm_source=twitter">according</a> to The Associated Press. Attaining the rank of Eagle Scout requires at least 21 merit badges, and Isabella Tunney, who is one of the <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2017/01/30/us/boy-scouts-transgender-membership/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">new female Eagle Scouts</a>, earned each of the 137 badges possible.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Witness history TOMORROW (2/21) with the entire BSA community! We’re celebrating the inaugural class of female Eagle Scouts during a special Facebook Live at 8 pm ET / 7pm CT. RSVP: <a href="https://t.co/v3TLxjktAl">https://t.co/v3TLxjktAl</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BeTheChange?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BeTheChange</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EagleScouts?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EagleScouts</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FemaleEagleScouts?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FemaleEagleScouts</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NESA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NESA</a> <a href="https://t.co/H64wlNRd8o">pic.twitter.com/H64wlNRd8o</a>
&mdash; Boy Scouts &#8211; BSA (@boyscouts) <a href="https://twitter.com/boyscouts/status/1363205284739624961?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“The quarantine helped a lot,” Tunney recounted to the AP. “I had a lot of time to spare.”
Tunney told the AP about how she always wanted to join the Boy Scouts, like her older brother. When they began accepting girls in 2018, she seized the chance to join.
&#8220;When the Boy Scouts opened up to girls, I was so excited to get the opportunity to participate myself,” she said.
Jenn Hancock, the BSA&#8217;s national chair for programs, said in a statement to the AP: &#8220;This is a powerful moment for these young women, for all Eagle Scouts, and for our nation. People recognize Eagle Scouts as individuals of the highest caliber, and for the first time, that title isn&#8217;t limited by gender.&#8221;
Among the badges would-be Eagle Scouts now have to earn is a &#8220;diversity and inclusion&#8221; badge. As The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/letter-boy-scouts-introduce-black-lives-matter-inspired-diversity-and-inclusion-badge-will-be-required-to-become-eagle-scout" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">reported</a>:
<blockquote>In a letter posted Monday, the National Executive Committee for the Boy Scouts of America announced a new badge related to “diversity and inclusion” in conjunction with the far-left, anti-cop Black Lives Matter movement.
The new badge will be a prerequisite to becoming an Eagle Scout, according to the committee.</blockquote>
The Girl Scouts recently alleged the Boy Scouts were stealing recruits from them. As The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/girl-scouts-accuse-boy-scouts-of-poaching-recruits-boy-scouts-accuse-girl-scouts-of-starting-ground-war" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">reported</a>:
<blockquote>The Girl Scouts of the United States of America claimed in court documents that the Boy Scouts of America are engaging in a “highly damaging” recruitment war that is poaching potential members. In response, the Boy Scouts, which is currently rebranding to become Scouts BSA and allow girls to join, claimed the Girl Scouts has launched a “ground war.”
The New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2020/12/27/girl-scouts-accuse-boy-scouts-of-poaching-new-recruits/">reported</a> that the feud between the two organizations began years ago when the Cub Scouts announced that girls would be accepted into the organization starting in 2018. In 2019, the Boy Scouts announced it would rebrand to become a gender-neutral organization and also accept girls.</blockquote>
In 2019, the Girl Scouts sued the Boy Scouts for dropping gender-specific language from their name. As The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/girl-scouts-suing-boy-scouts-over-leaving-boy-out-hank-berrien" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">reported</a> at the time:
<blockquote>The Girl Scouts of the USA is <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/07/us/girl-boy-scouts-scli-intl/index.html%20'">suing</a> the Boy Scouts of America for their plans to drop the word “Boy” from their name in 2019. The complaint the Girl Scouts filed stated that the Boy Scouts do not have the right to use “scouts” or “scouting,” and the Girl Scouts brand and their programs will be damaged if the Boy Scouts follow through with their plans. It also asserted, “Only GSUSA has the right to use the Girl Scouts and Scouts trademarks with leadership development services for girls.”</blockquote>
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/girl-scouts-accuse-boy-scouts-of-poaching-recruits-boy-scouts-accuse-girl-scouts-of-starting-ground-war" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Girl Scouts Accuse Boy Scouts Of Poaching Recruits. Boy Scouts Accuse Girl Scouts Of Starting ‘Ground War’</a>

Inaugural Class Off Female Eagle Scouts Recognized By Boy Scouts Of America

Boy Scouts Welcome First Class Of Girl Eagle Scouts

The Girl Scouts of the United States of America claimed in court documents that the Boy Scouts of America are engaging in a “highly damaging” recruitment war that is poaching potential members. In response, the Boy Scouts, which is currently rebranding to become Scouts BSA and allow girls to join, claimed the Girl Scouts has launched a “ground war.”
The New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2020/12/27/girl-scouts-accuse-boy-scouts-of-poaching-new-recruits/">reported</a> that the feud between the two organizations began years ago when the Cub Scouts announced that girls would be accepted into the organization starting in 2018. In 2019, the Boy Scouts announced it would rebrand to become a gender-neutral organization and also accept girls.
The Girl Scouts sued, alleging trademark infringement. Last month, the Post reported, the Boy Scouts filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, saying it was “utterly meritless.” On Thursday, the Girl Scouts responded to the filing, claiming the Boy Scouts have been poaching potential recruits by using the terms “scout, scouts, scouting, scouts BSA and scout me in” partially helped cause an “explosion of confusion” in recruitment, which was “extraordinary and highly damaging to Girl Scouts.”
“As a result of Boy Scouts’ infringement, parents have mistakenly enrolled their daughters in Boy Scouts thinking it was Girl Scouts,” the filing on behalf of the Girl Scouts says. The attorneys for the Girl Scouts wrote such confusion didn’t occur prior to the Boy Scouts changing their name to Scouts BSA and started allowing girls to join.
Included in the Girl Scouts’ response is evidence of “rampant instances of confusion and mistaken instances of association between Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts,” wherein the Boy Scouts had to return registration fees to parents who thought they were signing their daughters up for the Girl Scouts. The Post, however, noted that the fees were returned in “less than a tenth of local Scout councils.”
The Girl Scouts claimed in court that the Boy Scouts said the confusion was due to isolated incidents of mistaken marketing, an argument the Girl Scouts dismissed.
“According to Boy Scouts, blame for the rampant marketplace confusion lies at everyone’s feet but its own,” the girl scouts wrote in their filing.
The Boy Scouts responded to the latest filing in a statement, accusing the Girl Scouts of starting a “ground war.”
“To imply that confusion is a prevailing reason for their choice is not only inaccurate – with no legally admissible instance of this offered to date in the case – but it is also dismissive of the decisions of more than 120,000 girls and young women who have joined Cub Scouts or Scouts BSA since the programs became available to them,” the statement said.
The Post reported that membership for both organizations has declined in recent years, with the Boy Scouts reporting 2.2 million members, a third as many as its record membership in 1972, while the Girl Scouts have just 1.7 million members, down from its highest membership year in 2003. The BBC <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-55460888">reported</a> that the Girl Scouts accused the Boy Scouts of accepting girls to increase its declining membership.

Girl and Boy Scouts

Girl Scouts Accuse Boy Scouts Of Poaching Recruits. Boy Scouts Accuse Girl Scouts Of Starting ‘Ground War’

Lawsuit

In a letter posted Monday, the National Executive Committee for the Boy Scouts of America announced a new badge related to &#8220;diversity and inclusion&#8221; in conjunction with the far-left, anti-cop Black Lives Matter movement.
The new badge will be a prerequisite to becoming an Eagle Scout, according to the committee.
Though Black Lives Matter is clearly political, calling for the national defunding of police departments and the disruption of the nuclear family, the Scouts claim the move is apolitical and about mere anti-racism.
&#8220;We condemn the murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and all those who are not named but are equally important,&#8221; the letter to scout families reads. &#8220;We hear the anguish, feel the heartbreak, and join the country’s resolve to do better.&#8221;
&#8220;The Boy Scouts of America stands with Black families and the Black community because we believe that Black Lives Matter,&#8221; the executive committee emphasized. &#8220;This is not a political issue; it is a human rights issue and one we all have a duty to address.&#8221;
&#8220;That is why, as an organization, we commit to [i]ntroducing a specific diversity and inclusion merit badge that will be required for the rank of Eagle Scout,&#8221; the letter continues. &#8220;It will build on components within existing merit badges, including the American Cultures and Citizenship in the Community merit badges, which require Scouts to learn about and engage with other groups and cultures to increase understanding and spur positive action.&#8221;
The Scouts will also be &#8220;[r]equiring diversity and inclusion training for all BSA employees starting July 1,&#8221; and &#8220;[c]onducting a review of property names, events, and insignia, in partnership with local councils, to build on and enhance the organization’s nearly 30-year ban on use of the Confederate flag and to ensure that symbols of oppression are not in use today or in the future.&#8221;
The organization noted that these moves are only their &#8220;next steps but certainly not our last.&#8221;
Read the full letter, below (via <a href="https://dfw.cbslocal.com/2020/06/15/irving-texas-boy-scouts-stand-black-lives-matter/">CBS 11 News</a>):
<blockquote>Dear Scouting family,
As our country reckons with racial injustice, we all must consider our role and our failures and commit to meaningful action.
The twelve points of the Scout Law that define a Scout are all important, but at this moment, we are called on to be brave. Brave means taking action because it is the right thing to do and being an upstander even when it may prompt criticism from some. We realize we have not been as brave as we should have been because, as Scouts, we must always stand for what is right and take action when the situation demands it.
There is no place for racism – not in Scouting and not in our communities. Racism will not be tolerated.
We condemn the murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and all those who are not named but are equally important. We hear the anguish, feel the heartbreak, and join the country’s resolve to do better.
The Boy Scouts of America stands with Black families and the Black community because we believe that Black Lives Matter. This is not a political issue; it is a human rights issue and one we all have a duty to address. 
That is why, as an organization, we commit to:
Introducing a specific diversity and inclusion merit badge that will be required for the rank of Eagle Scout. It will build on components within existing merit badges, including the American Cultures and Citizenship in the Community merit badges, which require Scouts to learn about and engage with other groups and cultures to increase understanding and spur positive action.
Reviewing every element of our programs to ensure diversity and inclusion are engrained at every level for participants and volunteers by applying a standard that promotes racial equality and denounces racism, discrimination, inequality and injustice.
Requiring diversity and inclusion training for all BSA employees starting July 1 and taking immediate action toward introducing a version for volunteers in the coming months.
Conducting a review of property names, events and insignia, in partnership with local councils, to build on and enhance the organization’s nearly 30-year ban on use of the Confederate flag and to ensure that symbols of oppression are not in use today or in the future.
These are our next steps but certainly not our last.
We will also continue to listen more, learn more and do more to promote a culture in which every person feels that they belong, are respected, and are valued in Scouting, in their community, and across America.
As a movement, we are committed to working together with our employees, volunteers, youth members, and communities so we can all become a better version of ourselves and continue to prepare young people to become the leaders of character our communities and our country need to heal and grow.
Yours in Scouting,
The Boy Scouts of America, National Executive Committee
Dan Ownby – National Chair
Roger Mosby – President and CEO
Scott Sorrels – National Commissioner
Devang Desai
Jack Furst
Skip Oppenheimer
Nathan Rosenberg
Alison Schuler
Michael Sears
Thear Suzuki
Brad Tilden
Jim Turley</blockquote>
The Daily Wire, headed by bestselling author and popular podcast host Ben Shapiro, is a leading provider of conservative news, cutting through the mainstream media’s rhetoric to provide readers the most important, relevant, and engaging stories of the day. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe">member</a>.

Boy Scouts Of America Could Remove Ban On Gay Adults

LETTER: Boy Scouts Introduce Black Lives Matter Inspired ‘Diversity And Inclusion’ Badge, Will Be Required To Become Eagle Scout

Black Lives Matter

Diversity

The Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts who have traditionally placed American flags on the graves of veterans at veterans’ cemeteries on Memorial Day have been barred from doing so because of the coronavirus crisis.
The Scouts cannot perform their acts of honor because the Department of Veteran&#8217;s Affairs has banned public events at the sites, <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/boy-scouts-banned-memorial-day-coronavirus-veterans">Fox News</a> reports, adding, “On Long Island, N.Y., where more than 500,000 veterans are buried at two national military cemeteries, there are demands for the VA to reconsider and rescind the ban.”
Suffolk County executive Steve Bellone told Fox News, &#8220;If we can&#8217;t figure out a way to make sure we are placing flags at their graves to honor them, then something is seriously wrong … What we&#8217;re asking the VA to do is, rather than have a blanket policy across the country, allow the national cemeteries at the local level, to make this determination in conjunction with the local health department. We will take the responsibility to say that this flag placement plan meets the state and national guidelines but give us that opportunity to do it, allow us to honor our fallen heroes.” He continued, &#8220;We just commemorated VE Day, this is the generation that lived through the adversity of the great depression, they won World War Two. What is it going to say about our generation if we can&#8217;t figure out a way to honor the greatest generation by placing flags at their graves on Memorial Day?&#8221;
18-year-old Eagle Scout Kieran Monaghan told Fox News, &#8220;It&#8217;s definitely a very emotional, kind of moving experience. Personally, my Dad is a veteran. He was deployed in Iraq for a year. It&#8217;s good to be able to pay our respects to our fallen heroes, it&#8217;s important to me, it&#8217;s important to the Boy Scouts, it&#8217;s important to the community and it’s something that I would hate to see go.” He added, &#8220;It is understandable to a point, but I don&#8217;t think that it is unreasonable to be able to put a plan together to be able to still accomplish the same thing we have done year after year, still following social distancing guidelines, having everybody masked up, with gloves on. It&#8217;s definitely doable.”
The U.S. National Cemetery Administration cited the “national emergency” as the reason that “VA national cemeteries will not be hosting public Memorial Day events,&#8221; including “mass placement of gravesite flags,” adding, &#8220;families and community members are welcome to visit national cemeteries throughout Memorial Day weekend and place individual flags on graves to honor friends and family. We ask that all visitors adhere to CDC, state and local health, safety, and travel guidelines.&#8221;
Michael Freeman, associate editor of Boys’ Life, Scouting and Eagles’ Call magazines <a href="https://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2018/05/22/honoring-veterans-with-gravesite-flags-memorial-day/">advised</a> Scouts in 2018:
<blockquote>Always coordinate with the cemetery’s director when planning to volunteer. The director will know how much help is needed and where that help should be directed. The director might need flags placed at grave sites or along the main entrance, often referred to as an “avenue of flags,” or might not need any help at all.
&#8230; flags placed at graves should be erected in a uniform matter, usually one foot, centered and in front of the headstone or grave marker.
&#8230; For an “avenue of flags” display, flagpoles should be inserted and secured in an in-ground receptacle. The flags shouldn’t interfere with traffic … For all flag ceremonies, remember to follow the rules of <a href="https://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2015/09/24/10-things-know-flag-etiquette/">flag etiquette</a>. These include never letting the flag touch the ground and ensuring flags are in excellent condition.
&#8230; Volunteering at a cemetery for Memorial Day is a great way to teach Scouts about national and local history, community service and patriotism. It can also be an opportunity to fulfill service hours and rank requirements, but more importantly, it’s a chance to impart a sense of respect for those who have died for our freedoms.
Remind Scouts to follow cemetery rules, refrain from rowdiness and to stay on designated paths</blockquote>
The Daily Wire, headed by bestselling author and popular podcast host Ben Shapiro, is a leading provider of conservative news, cutting through the mainstream media’s rhetoric to provide readers the most important, relevant, and engaging stories of the day. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe">member</a>.

Memorial Day Celebrations

Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts Barred From Placing Flags At Veterans’ Cemeteries On Memorial Day

COVID

Veterans

The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Tuesday morning following &#8220;decades&#8221; of sexual abuse claims and fears that a class action lawsuit filed by alleged sexual assault victims could leave the organization destitute.
<a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/boy-scouts-of-america-files-for-bankkruptcy-after-sex-abuse-lawsuits">Fox News reports</a> that the declaration, filed in Delaware where the Boy Scouts are incorporated is designed to halt &#8220;the hundreds of lawsuits the BSA is facing that allege sexual misconduct by people within the 110-year-old organization over the years.&#8221; Many of the lawsuits are new, but reference decades-old incidents, filed following several states&#8217; decision to drop the statute of limitations on sexual abuse claims so that victims could sue not just the Boy Scouts, but several religious organizations, including the Catholic Church.
One class action suit, based in Washington, has more than 300 plaintiffs from 34 states, per Fox.
Instead of enduring trial, the Boy Scouts say they will set up a &#8220;Victims Compensation Trust&#8221; to &#8220;fairly compensate victims harmed during their time in scouting and to keep the 100-year-old nonprofit running for years to come.&#8221;
&#8220;The BSA cares deeply about all victims of abuse and sincerely apologizes to anyone who was harmed during their time in Scouting. We are outraged that there have been times when individuals took advantage of our programs to harm innocent children,&#8221; the president of the BSA said in a statement issued to media Tuesday morning. &#8220;While we know nothing can undo the tragic abuse that victims suffered, we believe the Chapter 11 process – with the proposed Trust structure – will provide equitable compensation to all victims while maintaining the BSA&#8217;s important mission.&#8221;
The trust fund seems like the most logical way to handle a settlement, dividing up the organizations billions in a way that provides restitution to victims but also ensures the Boy Scouts will not fade from existence &#8212; something BSA advocates have been fearing for years as interest and, subsequently, membership, has dried up.
“You’re talking about thousands of perpetrators,&#8221; one attorney representing the alleged victims told reporters, comparing the class action suit to similar suits against the Catholic Church. &#8220;You’re talking about tens of thousands of victims. This will be the largest bankruptcy the country has ever seen, and likely one of the largest corporate bankruptcies. It will be far larger in terms of the numbers of victims and far more complicated than any of the bankruptcies we&#8217;ve seen so far involving the Catholic Church.&#8221;
As part of the settlement plan, NBC News reports, individual lawsuits, filed outside of the class action, will be &#8220;halted and transferred to federal bankruptcy court for adjudication&#8221; alongside the 300-person class action.
Alongside Tuesday&#8217;s bankruptcy filing, the BSA has also <a href="https://www.bsarestructuring.org/an-open-letter-to-victims-from-the-boy-scouts-of-america/">issued an open apology to victims of sexual abuse</a>.
&#8220;As a father, a former Scout, and the National Chair of the Boy Scouts of America, I am truly heartbroken that you were harmed during your time in Scouting and that you carry unfathomable pain,&#8221; writes Jim Turley, BSA&#8217;s national chair. &#8220;I am outraged that individuals took advantage of our programs to commit these heinous acts.&#8221;
&#8220;I am also outraged that there were times when volunteers and employees ignored our procedures or forgave transgressions that are unforgivable,&#8221; Turley continues. &#8220;In some cases, this led to tragic acts of abuse. While those instances were limited, they mean we didn’t do enough to protect the children in our care – to protect you. On behalf of myself and the entire Scouting community: I am sorry. I am devastated that there were times in the past when we failed the very children we were supposed to protect.&#8221; 

The apology will also reportedly run as a full page ad in several national newspapers.
BSA says its scouting programs will continue while the bankruptcy filing moves through court and a trust fund is created. The Chapter 11 filing is also only for the national organization, not independent councils. The lawsuits, though, are far from the only trouble dogging the BSA. Interest in the hundred-year-old organization has waned considerably in recent years, and some major pipelines for BSA membership, like the Mormon Church, have parted ways with the organization amid the BSA&#8217;s efforts to &#8220;modernize&#8221; by including female scouts and allowing openly gay scout leaders.

boy scouts

Boy Scouts Of America Files For Bankruptcy After ‘Decades’ Of Sexual Abuse Claims

The Boy Scouts of America have become so &#8220;inclusive&#8221; that they have basically become the Girl Scouts.
An all-female troop of ten attended a ceremony on Tuesday to be sworn-in as Boy Scouts in Arkansas.
<a href="http://www.texarkanagazette.com/news/arkansas/story/2019/feb/11/all-female-boy-scouts-take-oath-arkansas/765219/">According</a> to Texarkana Gazette, the ten girls of Troop 19, ranging from 11-17 years old, were sworn-in alongside Boy Scouts of Troop 17 at a Methodist church in Bryant, Arkansas. &#8220;The group became the first all-girls troop chartered by the Quapaw Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America. The Quapaw Area Council is the largest council in the state, representing 39 counties in central and northeast Arkansas,&#8221; reported the paper.
Although there is already a space for females at the Girl Scouts, the Boy Scouts have been hit with declining numbers and pressure from the political Left to open their troops up to females. Girls were &#8220;fully incorporated&#8221; into the Boy Scouts ranks as of February 1, <a href="http://www.chroniclet.com/Local-News/2019/02/12/Boy-Scouts-open-doors-to-girls.html">according</a> to The Chronicle.
Apparently, all-female Boy Scout troops are trending in Arkansas: &#8220;All-girls troops have formed in Conway, White Hall and Cabot since the Bryant troop&#8217;s induction, and the council plans to add 10 or 12 more all-girls troops in the next month, according to Marcal Young, Scouts executive and CEO of the Quapaw Area Council.&#8221;
And Elyria, Ohio&#8217;s first all-female troop gained some traction on Monday night, as Jesse Grabowski, scoutmaster for Scouts BSA Troop 122, recruited girls and young women.
&#8220;The girls we&#8217;ve noticed wanting to sign up are looking for a program other than what they&#8217;ve already been exposed to,&#8221; <a href="http://www.chroniclet.com/Local-News/2019/02/12/Boy-Scouts-open-doors-to-girls.html">said</a> Grabowski. &#8220;They heard about our program and they&#8217;ve seen their brothers, cousins, friends go through the BSA program, and they like what they saw and are curious about what we have to offer.&#8221;
As noted by The Chronicle, the Boy Scouts of America have suffered a decline in scout attendance, and helped to further torpedo their intake with their decision to lift bans on transgender scouts and gay troop leaders. Last year, the Mormon Church withdrew support from the Boy Scouts, &#8220;effectively cutting off about one-fifth of the BSA&#8217;s scouting base.&#8221;
Troop 19 Scoutmaster Tim McEuen told the Texarkana Gazette that all-female troops like theirs should serve as a model for other states. &#8220;We want other states to look at us and think, &#8216;wow,'&#8221; he said.
But not everyone is so thrilled. Leaders at the Girl Scouts of the USA blasted the Boy Scouts for opening their troops to females, accusing them of turning their backs on single-gender environments and essentially siphoning off their scouts instead of handling various scandals appropriately.
&#8220;The Boy Scouts&#8217; house is on fire,&#8221; the Girl Scouts <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/girl-scouts-slam-boy-scouts-decision-accept-girls/story?id=50433448">told</a> ABC News in a statement October, 2017. &#8220;Instead of addressing systemic issues of continuing sexual assault, financial mismanagement and deficient programming, BSA&#8217;s senior management wants to add an accelerant to the house fire by recruiting girls.&#8221;
In a blog post, the Girl Scouts highlighted the value of &#8220;single-gender environments.&#8221;
&#8220;Girl Scouts is the best girl leadership organization in the world, created with and for girls,&#8221; the blog post <a href="http://blog.girlscouts.org/2017/10/girl-scouts-are-girl-leadership-experts.html">said</a>. &#8220;We believe strongly in the importance of the all-girl, girl-led, and girl-friendly environment that Girl Scouts provides, which creates a free space for girls to learn and thrive.&#8221;
&#8220;The benefit of the single-gender environment has been well-documented by educators, scholars, other girl- and youth-serving organizations, and Girl Scouts and their families. Girl Scouts offers a one-of-a-kind experience for girls with a program tailored specifically to their unique developmental needs,&#8221; the post continued. &#8220;At Girl Scouts, we are the girl experts, and for more than a century we have provided millions of girls opportunities for adventure, inspiration, and valuable mentoring. &#8230; The Girl Scout Leadership Experience pairs girls with strong, caring female role models and mentors who prepare them to take the lead from age 5 to 18 and into adulthood.&#8221;

Menu