Adults "shacking up" at girl scout camp-outs

[funscout]

I don't have daughters, so I'm not familiar with Girl Scouts' policy on unmarried men and women sharing a tent. My brother kept his daughter home from a camp-out last summer when he discovered that the leader and her live-in boyfriend were going to share a tent. My brother and his wife asked the leader to tent separately from her boyfriend, but she insisted that the sleeping arrangements were none of their business.

 

Does anyone know what GS policy is on this? My brother is also involved with Boy scouts, so he knows this would never be allowed at a Boy scout campout.

[Trevorum]

I'm not sure this needs to be an issue either in a BSA or GSUSA camp as long as the couple's behavior is otherwise acceptable. Certainly if the youth regards the other adult as a parent, it's no one elses business.

[SR540Beaver]

funscout,

 

I'm not involved in Girl Scouts, so I can't answer to that. I would assume that it isn't allowed just like in Boy Scouts. Now, having said that, who polices sleeping arrangements? In my son's first troop, we had a guy and his live in girlfriend who were both committee members shack up every campout she went on. They usually set up away from everyone else, but still....

 

To my knowledge, it was never discussed among anyone. This was a small troop that kind of had their own way of doing things and didn't like newcomers rocking the boat. That is why it was my son's "first" troop. We ended up leaving for a multitude of reasons.

 

The point is, someone has to raise their hand and speak up at the unit and/or council level before anything can be done.

[Trevorum]

IMHO, use of the term "shack up" is somewhat perjorative, and brings with it the connotation of lascivious behavior. When accompanying scouts, no hint of sexual behavior be attached to any adult, married or otherwise. If a couple's behavior is appropriate for a scout setting, their choice to marry or not should be no ones business.

[sweetspiritpamh]

As a over 10 year adult member of Girl Scouting, along side with my husband. We would NEVER consider sleeping in the same tent, cabin or whatever when ever any scout funtions are going on. Even though some might feel it was a normal thing for a married couple a scout camp is not the right place. My husband and I have even taken many weekend training courses for adults only and still would not bunk together even then. In our council All males whether a younger child sibling or a spouse are not even allowed to use the same restroom areas either, even if No girls are no where present. This is for the protection of all parties. The adults as well as the kids.

[Oak Tree]

Trevorum,

 

Your opinion may be that their marital status does not matter, but that is not what the BSA says.

 

From the G2SS: "Male and female leaders must have separate sleeping facilities. Married couples may share the same quarters if appropriate facilities are available."

 

I don't know what the GSUSA says.

 

Oak Tree

[Fuzzy Bear]

In spite of how people choose to live in different ways and even though there is a general acceptance of those arrangements and even if the unconventional relationship is based on love, joy and rich fulfillment, the BSA is not as accepting.

 

I find that answering this question stretches the limits way beyond rational thought, logic, and convention, so it is easier to separate the men and the women and just go camp. FB

 

[Troop_Dad]

Safety Wise (Girl Scout Version of G2SS prohibits Mixed Adults from sharing sleeping accomidations. That includes married couples.

 

It also prohibits Dads from sharing a tent with their daughters. Female leaders can share a tent with the girls but not their husbands.

 

Rich

 

[Troop_Dad]

Fuzzy Bear Wrote"

" In spite of how people choose to live in different ways and even though there is a general acceptance of those arrangements and even if the unconventional relationship is based on love, joy and rich fulfillment, the BSA is not as accepting.

 

I find that answering this question stretches the limits way beyond rational thought, logic, and convention, so it is easier to separate the men and the women and just go camp. FB"

 

 

I have the raise the B.S. Flag on this one.

 

Per Safety Wise,people are seperated by sex not by relationships. So a Homosexual couples can share a tent, yet two married couples can't. Where's the accepting as BSA for married couples.

 

Per G2SS, married couples can share a tent.

Girl Scout is not as accepting on family camping a BSA.

 

YIS Rich

 

[Trevorum]

Oak Tree, you are correct.

 

According to the G2SS, and assuming appropriate quarters are available, newlywed 18 year olds could share a tent at a BSA camp while a mom and dad, who have been a couple for 15 years but have never felt the need to get married, could not. Go figure.

[ScoutNut]

Funscout - Your brother was correct & I would suggest he purchase a copy of "Safety Wise" & show the pertinent area to his daughter's leader.

 

This is another instance of the differences between the two programs. Family camping is NOT a method in Girl Scouting. There is a definite separation between sexes. This is due, in a large part, to their version of youth protection.

 

If this leader had been properly trained, or even cared enough to read up on safety procedures before taking girls out camping, she would have known better.

[acco40]

Trevorum, your statement, "According to the G2SS, and assuming appropriate quarters are available, newlywed 18 year olds could share a tent at a BSA camp while a mom and dad, who have been a couple for 15 years but have never felt the need to get married, could not." is partially correct. First, the 18 year old newlyweds would need to be married to each other and be of different sexes. Second, it could not be a Venture or OA function. The reason is that for those programs "adults" need to be 21, not 18 as in the Boy Scouts. So, a 20 year old married couple may NOT share a tent on a Venture outing.

[Fuzzy Bear]

Troop_Dad,

Let me rephrase. Have everyone camp 1,000 yards apart with their hands in plain sight so everyone will remain moral. I am sure this will do it.

FB

[Troop_Dad]

Hey Fuzzy Bear,

 

That will work. And if your a male 01 in the troop, your council will misquote Safety Wise and try to make you sleep 1/2 mile away from the troop in another campsite.

 

No, I'm not kidding. All, it says is seperate sleeping accomidations not seperate zip codes.

 

Rich

[scoutldr]

Been camping a lot...don't recall anyone ever being asked to produce a marriage license along with their tour permit.