BSA policy on Girl Scouts participating in a troop activity?

[Morgain]

I am searching to see if there is a policy in place stating Girl Scouts or any other or youth group for that matter cannot participate in a troop activity?

I had permission from our CC to allow a joint recruitment table at our local fair. It was our troops area at the fair and the Girl scouts added a small table with info on it to join Girl Scouts. I was told by our SM that it is against BSA policy to allow Girl Scouts in any troop activities. I cannot find anything regarding this.

 

Thank you.

[RememberSchiff]

@@Morgain , welcome to scouter.com

[Morgain]

Thank you, glad I found these forums. Lots of great stuff here.

[Stosh]

I am searching to see if there is a policy in place stating Girl Scouts or any other or youth group for that matter cannot participate in a troop activity?

I had permission from our CC to allow a joint recruitment table at our local fair. It was our troops area at the fair and the Girl scouts added a small table with info on it to join Girl Scouts. I was told by our SM that it is against BSA policy to allow Girl Scouts in any troop activities. I cannot find anything regarding this.

 

Thank you.

 

I have never heard of such a thing  It they were in direct competition with the BSA on membership, that might be an issue, but two mutually exclusive organizations sharing a table? 

 

I can't imagine any such policy, but with the way things are going in the BSA lately, anything is possible.

 

Welcome to the forum!  Good question.

[Back Pack]

Does the scoutnaster perhaps mean that bsa has certain rules regarding non-member adults and youth taking part in certain activities? He might view non-member adults and youth as "family". As such they would not always be allowed at all Boy Scout activities UNLESS they are specifically for families.

 

It's Boy Scouts (at least for now) so the focus is on boys and the Boy Scout program. Ask him about failmily opportunities.

[NJCubScouter]

I am searching to see if there is a policy in place stating Girl Scouts or any other or youth group for that matter cannot participate in a troop activity?

I had permission from our CC to allow a joint recruitment table at our local fair. It was our troops area at the fair and the Girl scouts added a small table with info on it to join Girl Scouts. I was told by our SM that it is against BSA policy to allow Girl Scouts in any troop activities. I cannot find anything regarding this.

Thank you.

Welcome to the forum!

 

I am not aware of any such rule, but be aware that there are some people who believe that anything that is not specifically mentioned in some BSA publication is not permitted, while others believe that anything that is not specifically prohibited is permitted. And other viewpoints in between.

 

But I don't think we even have to get that far with your situation. To me, you were not allowing Girl Scouts to participate in a troop activity. You were sharing the space allotted to your troop with another community organization, by letting them set up their own table. That organization could have been the Elks, the Lions Club, Friends of the Library, the local model rocketry club, etc. It happened to be some Girl Scouts. You were being helpful and friendly. No rule against that.

Edited August 8, 2017 by NJCubScouter

[qwazse]

Tell your SM to keep the BS out of the BSA.

[Tampa Turtle]

I once saw a proposed Boy Scout-Cub Scout-Girl Scout shared Camporee in an adjoining district. At some point it got scuttled.

[CalicoPenn]

There is no prohibition by National on a Boy Scout unit doing an activity with a Girl Scout unit.  The BSA leaves it to their chartering organizations (who often leave it to the Troops) to use their own common sense to develop their own policies on sharing activities.

 

Back when I was a Scout, the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts would work together doing the Memorial Day flag ceremony.  Sometimes we marched in one giant mass of Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Brownies, Cub Scouts and Explorers in the 4th of July parade, sometimes we marched as separate units (btw - I think it was a lot more impressive to see a very large group of boys and girls in uniforms of all kinds mixing and mingling in the parade with brothers and sisters marching together - there may be nothing that melts a mother's heart more than seeing a 15 year old Boy Scout carrying his Brownie sister on his shoulders, or a 15 year old Girl Scout holding her Cub Scout brother's hand, while marching together in a parade).  The church we were sponsored by celebrated Scout Sunday for both the Boy Scouts and the Girl Scouts on the same day.  The Cub Scout Packs and Brownie Troops (?) would plan and operate a bicycle safety rodeo for the 1st week in May together.  If a Troop wants to plan a camping trip with a Girl Scout Troop, they can do that too.  Yes, Boy Scouting is for boys - but is that any reason to create a barrier to occasionally sharing activities with Girl scouts, 4H, FFA, Campfire, a local youth sports league, etc.?

 

I think your sharing the recruiting space with the local Girl Scouts is a great thing - and you can remind the Scoutmaster that in doing so, you were living the Scout Law - specifically Helpful, Friendly, Courteous and Kind.

 

BTW - welcome to the forum

[CalicoPenn]

There is no prohibition by National on a Boy Scout unit doing an activity with a Girl Scout unit.  The BSA leaves it to their chartering organizations (who often leave it to the Troops) to use their own common sense to develop their own policies on sharing activities.

 

Back when I was a Scout, the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts would work together doing the Memorial Day flag ceremony.  Sometimes we marched in one giant mass of Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Brownies, Cub Scouts and Explorers in the 4th of July parade, sometimes we marched as separate units (btw - I think it was a lot more impressive to see a very large group of boys and girls in uniforms of all kinds mixing and mingling in the parade with brothers and sisters marching together - there may be nothing that melts a mother's heart more than seeing a 15 year old Boy Scout carrying his Brownie sister on his shoulders, or a 15 year old Girl Scout holding her Cub Scout brother's hand, while marching together in a parade).  The church we were sponsored by celebrated Scout Sunday for both the Boy Scouts and the Girl Scouts on the same day.  The Cub Scout Packs and Brownie Troops (?) would plan and operate a bicycle safety rodeo for the 1st week in May together.  If a Troop wants to plan a camping trip with a Girl Scout Troop, they can do that too.  Yes, Boy Scouting is for boys - but is that any reason to create a barrier to occasionally sharing activities with Girl scouts, 4H, FFA, Campfire, a local youth sports league, etc.?

 

I think your sharing the recruiting space with the local Girl Scouts is a great thing - and you can remind the Scoutmaster that in doing so, you were living the Scout Law - specifically Helpful, Friendly, Courteous and Kind.

 

BTW - welcome to the forum

[Morgain]

Thank you all for your input on this and the warm welcome.

 

It has become a moot point, the SM announced last night he was stepping down and leaving the troop at months end. There were other issues that happened over the weekend where he lost his temper not only at the Girl Scout leader but a BoyScout parent in front of scouts in a very public display.

 

Now our CC and committee have to decide on a new SM. Any suggestions on how to proceed with interviews and selection process would be greatly appreciated.

[Stosh]

Let the boys select a SM.

[NJCubScouter]

Now our CC and committee have to decide on a new SM. Any suggestions on how to proceed with interviews and selection process would be greatly appreciated.

How about you?

[qwazse]

That was supposed to +1 NJ.

Although, I would have put it more subtly: get a mirror.

[Morgain]

I'm already the advancement chair and will more than likely be the CC in about a year. I also am a firm believer that boy scouts should have a male leader to lead them. I was a den leader back in cubs but in my opinion boys, especially ones that may not have a strong male role model need it more in pre-teen/teen years.

My husband was thinking about it but his work schedule makes it hard for him to go to many outings and he didn't feel that was fair to the boys. He is on the committee as the new parent coordinator.