OFFICIAL NEWS RELEASE: Girls as Youth Members, All Programs

[NJCubScouter]

Since the BSA will be getting more registration dollars with this program, where is the push to cancel the membership rate increase we are all going to suffer this year?

 

I assume you are being sarcastic.  I just saw a notice about an increase in council fees due with the recharter, on top of the national increase.

[sierracharliescouter]

 

What I find interesting is that girls will be admitted to Cub Scouts in the "2018 program year" (question: Does the "program year" start in January, or September?) 

 

For traditional units (don't know about how LDS handles this), the Cub program year runs June 1 - May 31.

[numbersnerd]

It sounds like a good idea probably in the boardroom, but frankly I just don't see there being enough volunteers to staff totally duplicate programs.   

 

Maybe I am wrong, but based on what I know from my own troop, and what I know of our sister cub scout pack, there just aren't enough people willing to help out to make this happen.

 

Same problem here. Can't even get help to run the existing program, much less additional ones.

 

Any idea if the local option will be available for this change as it was for previous ones? Give them the option of units that want to retain the status quo.

That's the only hope of retaining enough volunteers that don't want to get entangled in the the morass of mixed sex required leadership elements. 

 

Ugh.

[NJCubScouter]

I will do my best to welcome any youth into scouting that wants to follow the Scout Law and Oath.

 

As will I.  And I wasn't really in favor of this.

[Lenae]

In regards to the "program year" the official Cub Scouts website listed the start time as fall 2018, so I assume they mean September.

 

My social media accounts have been blowing up, and I'd say that just a little more than half are in support. I suppose that info comes with a bucket of salt though, being as I am a late 20s something woman, and I think the younger generation is more in favor of this change than the older folks, and I know at least 10-15 MOTHERS who would gladly step up to be den leaders for new all-girl dens. So that probably skews my statistics, much like anyone's demographics skew their stats.  

 

https://cubscouts.org/cub-scouts-welcomes-girls-to-expanded-programs/

 

Edited to add link

Edited October 11, 2017 by Lenae

[fred johnson]

Well, at least I know my tenure as Training Chair will not be boring. . .

 

So so true.   Mine too

[Chisos]

Same problem here. Can't even get help to run the existing program, much less additional ones.

 

Any idea if the local option will be available for this change as it was for previous ones? Give them the option of units that want to retain the status quo.

That's the only hope of retaining enough volunteers that don't want to get entangled in the the morass of mixed sex required leadership elements. 

 

Ugh.

 

Yes--from how it reads Packs that want to stay boy-only can.

 

What I want to know how to handle is this.  We're a one den per grade pack, 4-8 boys per den.  We might get 1-2 girls interested at each grade level.  How are supposed to implement that?

[Roadkill Patrol]

I assume you are being sarcastic.  I just saw a notice about an increase in council fees due with the recharter, on top of the national increase.

Yes it was sarcastic, they are desperate for money.  Could see it especially when they are now requiring all adults attending summer camp to be registered with the BSA and pay dues.  We had an event recently that required everyone to be registered with the BSA and I countered with the council program director that this has to include MB Counselors as they are registered members of the BSA but do not have to pay dues.  Loophole to the "must be registered" rule IMHO.

[fred johnson]

I just hope it's not a "different" program.  The troop structure works and it's advancement works.  Let girls join troops.  Let charter orgs decide if they want girl only troops and boy only troops ... or co-ed troops.  We're just not structured to run yet another program structure.  Sort of like Venturing in that too few BSA volunteers really understand how to make venturing work.

[jwest09]

Yes--from how it reads Packs that want to stay boy-only can.

 

What I want to know how to handle is this.  We're a one den per grade pack, 4-8 boys per den.  We might get 1-2 girls interested at each grade level.  How are supposed to implement that?

 

I don't understand why it would be difficult to implement this.  You offer and deliver the program to those who want to participate.  Same as you always have.

[NJCubScouter]

Any idea if the local option will be available for this change as it was for previous ones? Give them the option of units that want to retain the status quo.

 

Yes, it is local option.  This was in the BSA's official statement:

 

 

 

Existing packs may choose to establish a new girl pack, establish a pack that consists of girl dens and boy dens or remain an all-boy pack.

 

I think that when they say "Existing packs" they really mean "chartered organizations" - especially since they are not going to rely just on existing CO's but are going to try to get new CO's on board as well.

[numbersnerd]

Yes--from how it reads Packs that want to stay boy-only can.

 

What I want to know how to handle is this.  We're a one den per grade pack, 4-8 boys per den.  We might get 1-2 girls interested at each grade level.  How are supposed to implement that?

 

You can always refer them to another unit that is willing to implement mixed sex scouts in their program.

[LVAllen]

Yes--from how it reads Packs that want to stay boy-only can.

 

What I want to know how to handle is this.  We're a one den per grade pack, 4-8 boys per den.  We might get 1-2 girls interested at each grade level.  How are supposed to implement that?

 

The same way existing packs who haven't cared about National have done it: just include the girls with the existing dens. 

[Momleader]

Seriously? This is really happening? Have they redesigned the program to fit the needs of girls? How will young men and boys not be left behind - much like they are school - they learn differently! So many studies prove this.

 

Think of the implications of summer camp or troop camp outs. “They’re peeping in my tent!†Or the parents who quip back with “what do you mean she can’t wear a bikini to waterfront - don’t body shame her!†So you have a co-ed Troop. Just like venturing for 2 Deep Leadership (minimum 1 leader each gender) What happens on the first campout where you have a leader drop out last minute - if you had 3 adults (2M & 1 F or 2F & 1-M). Does that mean that one gender doesn’t get to go? Or do you cancel for everyone?

 

Just like the increase in fees - no heads up from council before it’s announced nationally. as to how leaders are to respond to the questions we will all get from parents in the next few weeks/months. I guess it’s weird to think they would get info to the volunteers that essentially run the program - because other than give us some flyers for recruitment and process paperwork we fill out - our council doesn’t do much for us.

Edited October 11, 2017 by Momleader

[Chisos]

I don't understand why it would be difficult to implement this.  You offer and deliver the program to those who want to participate.  Same as you always have.

 

Right.  But do we really have a "den" for the 1-2 girls per grade that want to participate?  There might be two dens on paper but they're going to be doing all the same stuff all the time.

 

You can always refer them to another unit that is willing to implement mixed sex scouts in their program.

 

We could.  But I expect many will be sisters of the boys already in the program.  So that doesn't really do much for making it more "accessible".

 

I could see a workable setup where Lions-Bears was coed.  Then separate boys and girls dens for Webelos that had both 4th and 5th graders. But that's not the program...